Hidden diversity of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) from Angola, West Africa

The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) occupies a wide range within the tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Atlantic Oceans. Although occurring in large numbers, the IUCN status for this species is "vulnerable" due to existing threats in their nesting sites. We report the first genetic data on L. olivacea from Palmeirinhas-Onça beach, Angola, West Africa. Genetic diversity based on a 400 bp-fragment of the mitochondrial control region of 39 individuals indicated low nucleotide and haplotype diversities compared to other Atlantic populations. We detected a new haplotype present in two individuals from Angola, while the remaining specimens shared a haplotype that is distributed in both sides of the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean, suggesting connectivity between these populations. The baseline data we are generating have a broader significance for characterizing intraspecific biodiversity in the olive ridley sea turtle, which is vital for developing effective conservation policies.