Sex-biased interactions between spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) and hindgut nematodes
Data files
Sep 21, 2026 version files 13.92 KB
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README.md
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Tortoise-NematodeInteractions1.csv
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Abstract
Spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) were sampled in southern Spain. For male and female tortoises, we assessed the relationships between nematode infestation and body traits (weight, height, plastron width, and carapace length) and growth rates. Further, differences in species composition and diversity of hindgut nematode communities between sexes were investigated. Finally, the structure and diversity of tortoise-nematode interactions were evaluated with an intrapopulation ecological network approach.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.d7wm37qhc
Description of the data and file structure
Nematode species abbreviations are as follows
Alaeuris numidica (A. num), Mehdiella stylosa (M. styl), M. uncinata (M. unci), M. microstoma (M. micro), Tachygonetria longicollis (T. long), T. dentata (T. dent), T. conica (T. coni), T. robusta (T. rob), T. macrolaimus (T. mac), T. numidica (T. numi), T. setosa (T. set), T. palearticus (T. pale), T. pusilla (T. pusi), T. seurati (T. seur) and Thaparia thapari (T. thap).
Files and variables
File: Tortoise-NematodeInteractions1.csv
Description: Body traits of male and female tortoises (Testuto graeca) and the nematode species abundance infesting their hindguts in Southern Spain.
Variables
- Tortoise sex (MALE/FEMALE)
- Sampling sites
- Tortoise age (years)
- Tortoise carapace length (mm)
- Tortoise height (mm)
- Tortoise plastron width (mm)
- Tortoise weight (g)
- Tortoise growth rate(mm/year)
- Nematode density: total number of nematodes per individual tortoise
- Tortoise sex: the numbers after the sex indicate the ID of each male and female adult tortoise
- T_long through T_seur: Nematode species abreviations that indicate the taxonomic name and number of each nematode species infecting individual male and female tortoises
Notes:
- n/a: indicates no available data, as data were lost while processing individual tortoises
- null: indicates no value, as only infected individual tortoises were considered to construct the ecological networks and to perform the nematode diversity analyses