First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia

In recent years, turtle eggs incubated in situ or in protected hatcheries in Malaysia have been reported to show symptoms and signs of fungal colonisation. However, there are no studies addressing this problem and potential relationship with frequent hatching failures. We identified Fusarium speci...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique, Nurul Farizah Azuddin, Juanita Joseph
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2017
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/1/46_03_23.pdf
_version_ 1848812984380424192
author Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique,
Nurul Farizah Azuddin,
Juanita Joseph,
author_facet Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique,
Nurul Farizah Azuddin,
Juanita Joseph,
author_sort Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique,
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In recent years, turtle eggs incubated in situ or in protected hatcheries in Malaysia have been reported to show symptoms and signs of fungal colonisation. However, there are no studies addressing this problem and potential relationship with frequent hatching failures. We identified Fusarium species from nesting sites of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) situated in Terengganu and Melaka, as well as the environments surrounding those sites. The eggs were incubated on the nesting beach (in situ) or relocated to the beach hatchery and styrofoam boxes (ex situ) in Peninsular Malaysia. Samples were collected from infected eggs, sand, plant roots and debris around the egg chambers. One-hundred and six strains of Fusarium spp. were isolated. They were identified morphologically as member of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC, 101 strains), F. oxysporum (four strains) and F. proliferatum (one strain). We conducted phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequences of translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF-1α). The strains of the FSSC were further separated into three lineages, F. falciforme, F. lichenicola and F. keratoplasticum. This is the first report on Fusarium species isolated from symptomatic green and hawksbill turtle eggs in Peninsular Malaysia. Fusarium colonisation in sea turtle nests poses a serious risk to the survival of endangered sea turtles in Malaysia. It is, therefore, important to examine the nature of such colonisation and their relationship to hatching failures of the turtles in Malaysia or elsewhere in the region to mitigate pathogenic fungi impact.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T00:10:58Z
format Article
id oai:generic.eprints.org:12375
institution Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T00:10:58Z
publishDate 2017
publisher Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:123752018-11-30T22:39:50Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/ First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique, Nurul Farizah Azuddin, Juanita Joseph, In recent years, turtle eggs incubated in situ or in protected hatcheries in Malaysia have been reported to show symptoms and signs of fungal colonisation. However, there are no studies addressing this problem and potential relationship with frequent hatching failures. We identified Fusarium species from nesting sites of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) situated in Terengganu and Melaka, as well as the environments surrounding those sites. The eggs were incubated on the nesting beach (in situ) or relocated to the beach hatchery and styrofoam boxes (ex situ) in Peninsular Malaysia. Samples were collected from infected eggs, sand, plant roots and debris around the egg chambers. One-hundred and six strains of Fusarium spp. were isolated. They were identified morphologically as member of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC, 101 strains), F. oxysporum (four strains) and F. proliferatum (one strain). We conducted phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequences of translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF-1α). The strains of the FSSC were further separated into three lineages, F. falciforme, F. lichenicola and F. keratoplasticum. This is the first report on Fusarium species isolated from symptomatic green and hawksbill turtle eggs in Peninsular Malaysia. Fusarium colonisation in sea turtle nests poses a serious risk to the survival of endangered sea turtles in Malaysia. It is, therefore, important to examine the nature of such colonisation and their relationship to hatching failures of the turtles in Malaysia or elsewhere in the region to mitigate pathogenic fungi impact. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2017-10 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/1/46_03_23.pdf Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique, and Nurul Farizah Azuddin, and Juanita Joseph, (2017) First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology, 46 (3). pp. 195-205. ISSN 0126-8643 http://mabjournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=674&catid=59:current-view&Itemid=56
spellingShingle Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Sidique,
Nurul Farizah Azuddin,
Juanita Joseph,
First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title_full First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title_fullStr First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title_short First report of Fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in Terengganu and Melaka, Malaysia
title_sort first report of fusarium species at nesting sites of endangered sea turtles in terengganu and melaka, malaysia
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12375/1/46_03_23.pdf