A new species of freshwater turtle from the Amazon, named Perema do Pará, was found in creeks surrounding the Parque Estadual Martírio Serra das Andorinhas (Pesam) Conservation Unit, in the municipality of São Geraldo do Araguaia, southeast Pará. The discovery was made after studying specimens from the Herpetology collection of the Emílio Goeldi Museum of Pará (MPEG), by researchers from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), the Center for Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries of the Amazon (NEAF/UFPA), the Turtle Conservancy project, the Chelonian Research Foundation and ReWild. The scientific name of the animal is Mesoclemmys sabiniparaensis, and it is named "sabini" in honor of Andrew Sabin, and "paraensis" in honor of the state of Pará.

The study began in 2018, and was led by herpetologist Fábio Andrew Gomes Cunha, from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), after a visit to the Herpetology center of the (MPEG). The center is considered the one with the largest collection in the Amazon region, housing about 100 thousand specimens of amphibians and reptiles. The vast majority of these animals are preserved in alcohol and some individuals in dry form. 

"We were in the process of describing a new species, from the Lower Amazon region, and while studying the animals deposited at the Emílio Goeldi Museum, we found a group of turtles that were very similar to each other and completely different from everything that was known, until that moment. It was something that stood out in our eyes," said the researcher.

Researcher Fábio Cunha also says that, after the first contact, a detailed study was started, with genetic analysis based on DNA extracted from muscle tissue samples of the animals, morphological and anatomical differences. In addition, information about the natural history of these animals was detailed.

"For a new species to be accepted by science, it is necessary to compare morphological, genetic, behavioral, animal distribution, and the physiology of the new species with all the other species already described and recognized. It is a slow process, with many details. From the first contact with the animals to the publication takes a few years; in this research, it took four whole years of a lot of studying", she details.

According to the Director of Management and Monitoring of the Conservation Units (DGMUC/Ideflor-Bio), Socorro Almeida, the description of the new species for the southeast region of the State of Pará, having as its habitat areas around the Pesam, reinforces the importance of the Nature Conservation Units for the preservation and conservation of ecosystems.

"The 27 State Conservation Units of Pará certainly hold a very rich genetic heritage, with many species yet to be discovered or registered. With each discovery of new species or registration of species not yet cataloged, new management actions must be taken, depending on the location of the registration within the Conservation Units, in order to protect the species and give due treatment to the natural resources", said the manager.

Publication - The scientific article describing the new species was published online December 14 in the international scientific journal Chelonian Conservation and Biology Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF-2002). It is a strategic partnership and funding coalition of leading turtle conservation organizations and individuals focused on ensuring the long-term survival of turtles and freshwater turtles.

Preservation and conservation - The president of Ideflor-Bio, Karla Bengtson, emphasizes the importance of Conservation Units to ensure the preservation of ecosystems and conservation of natural resources in Pará. The Conservation Units are terrestrial and aquatic spaces that guarantee the protection of representative samples of the Amazon biodiversity, especially populations of endangered flora and fauna species in the state.
“With the results of the research, Ideflor-Bio is expanding its work for the preservation and conservation of biodiversity, supporting scientific research, sustainable development and environmental education activities, strengthening the Institute's mission to preserve ecosystems," said the president.

Written by Gabriel Pires, intern, under Victor Furtado's supervision, coordinator of the Atualidades section of O Liberal newspaper