Reproductive Ability of Hybrids Between Japanese Pond Turtle () and Reeves' Pond Turtle ()

Hybridization induced by human activities, such as crossbreeding between invasive and native species, can adversely affect the natural biodiversity of an ecosystem. In Japan, the endemic turtle species is known to hybridize with the alien species , and putative hybrids have been encountered in the wild. If × hybrids can readily crossbreed with , the hybridization with could lead to the extinction of pure populations. However, information on the reproductive ability of × hybrids is limited. In this study, we collected wild-caught hybrids from across western Japan to assess their reproductive ability. We investigated the nesting season timing, clutch size, embryonic development, hatching success, and sperm viability. The results showed that female hybrids nested during the same months as the parental species and had similar clutch sizes and hatching success. No embryonic development abnormalities were detected, and viable sperm were observed in all hybrid male semen samples. In conclusion, the fertility of × hybrids appears to be similar to the fertilities of the parental species, posing a potential challenge for conservation.