Student:	Ufuk BÜLBÜL
Supervisor:	Doç. Dr. Bilal KUTRUP
Department:	Biology
Institution:	Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences
University:	Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey

Title of the Thesis:	Study of Taxonomical Status of the Banded Newt (Triturus vittatus) by Morphology, Skeletal Muscle Proteins and 16S rRNA and CytB Data
Level:	M.Sc.
Acceptance Date:	9/10/2007
Number of Pages:	82
Registration Number:	Di606

Summary:

In this study, taxonomical status of the banded newt (Triturus vittatus) was

investigated through morphometrical features, 16S rRNA and cytB genes, and skeletal muscle

differences. In the morphometrical investigations, 179 specimens (86 ve 93 ) from 18

different populations in 9 provinces were compared by 7 characters for females and 8

characters for males. According to One-Way ANOVA Tukey test performed by putting the T.

vittatus specimens into 4 basic groups (Hatay, Mersin and Adana, Bati Karadeniz and Dogu

Karadeniz) it was found that those 4 groups were different significantly (p< 0,05). Also it was

shown from the results of the Mann Whitney U test conducted to compare these groups each

other, that these 4 groups are significantly different (p< 0,05) for both sexes.

T. vittatus specimens were also compared in 20 different populations from 11

provinces by 16S rRNA and cytB genes. According to TCS analysis for the 541 bp part of the

16S rRNA gene 15 haplotpypes were found in 118 specimens while for the 397 bp part of the

cytBgene 25 haplotypes were found in 112 specimens. It was shown in TCS analysis that,

neither for 16S rRNA nor for cytB genes haplotypes were joined into the 4 basic groups. It

was found also in the phylograms obtained from the PAUP program analyses that T. vittatus

specimens were joined into 4 basic branches.

Some differences were found between Western and Eastern Black Sea specimens with

the result of the SDS-PAGE performed using the skeletal muscle proteins of the newts for the

first time. Overall 25 protein bands were found in Western Black Sea specimens while there

were 26 protein bands in Eastern Black Sea specimens.

In conclusion, we suggest that the banded newt (T. vittatus) in Turkey could be

classified in 4 subspecies, namely T. v. vittatus in Hatay, T. v. cilicensis in Adana and Mersin,

T. v. nestrovi in Western Black Sea and T. v. ophryticus in Eastern Black Sea.

Keywords: T. vittatus, Morphometric,16S rRNA, CytB, Skeletal Muscle, Turkey