TY - JOUR AU - Ziegler, Thomas AU - Hauswaldt, Susanne AU - Vences, Miguel PY - 2015/10/31 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - The necessity of genetic screening for proper management of captive crocodile populations based on the examples of Crocodylus schuss and C. mindorensis JF - Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research JA - JZAR VL - 3 IS - 4 SE - Articles DO - 10.19227/jzar.v3i4.106 UR - https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/106 SP - 123-127 AB - <p align="justify">Based on sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, we report on a screening of 11 presumed Nile crocodiles from various European zoos, of which five (from four facilities) turned out to be western Nile crocodiles, <em>Crocodylus suchus</em>, the recently resurrected name applied to the western genetic lineage of <em>Crocodylus niloticus</em> <em>sensu lato</em>. We also provide evidence for a pure species-level genetic background of six additional <em>Crocodylus mindorensis</em> from a European zoo facility, a species that is known to hybridise with <em>Crocodylus porosus</em>. Our results are based on a limited number of genetic markers and thus might miss backcrossed hybrid specimens, but they provide an important basis for the establishment of conservation breeding programmes, already in place for <em>C. mindorensis </em>and contemplated for <em>C. suchus</em>. We found evidence for possible genetic admixture between <em>C. suchus</em> and <em>C. niloticus </em>in a specimen found in Lebanon, possibly representing a released captive-bred hybrid. We reiterate the need for such basic genetic screening especially in morphologically cryptic and poorly studied species in the context of ex-situ conservation breeding, to avoid erroneous species identification and overlooking of unknown evolutionary lineages.</p> ER -