Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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McKnight, D. T., & Ligon, D. B. , The spring-summer nesting and activity patterns of the western chicken turtle (deirochelys reticularia miaria) - abstract. Unpublished paper presented at Program and Abstracts of the Tenth Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (06 Jul 2014 16:11:53 UTC) |
| Resource type: Conference Paper BibTeX citation key: McKnight2013a View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Fortpflanzung - reproduction, Habitat - habitat, Nordamerika - North America, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises, Testudinidae, Testudo horsfieldii Creators: Ligon, McKnight Collection: Program and Abstracts of the Tenth Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles |
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| Abstract |
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The Eastern and Florida Chicken Turtle subspecies (Deirochelys reticularia reticularia and D. r. chrysea) exhibit atypical nesting habits. Unlike most temperate emydid turtles, northern populations of D. r. reticularia nest in early spring and late fall, and D. r. chrysea and the southernmost populations of D. r. reticularia nest from late fall through the winter and into the following spring. The reproductive ecology of the western subspecies (D. r. miaria), however, has not been studied. Therefore, to determine whether or not D. r. miaria shares the unusual nesting patterns of its eastern counterparts, we trapped western chicken turtles in southeastern Oklahoma throughout the spring and summer of 2012 and 2013. We also monitored individuals using radio telemetry, and used a portable ultrasound to monitor the reproductive status of females. Unlike the other subspecies, D. r. miaria was inactive on land from early July to mid March. Also, in contrast to the nesting patterns of D. r. reticuaria and D. r. chrysea, female D. r. miaria developed follicles from March through May and nested in June and early July. Thus, it appears that the Western Chicken Turtle exhibits a nesting pattern that is similar to that of other sympatric members of the family Emydidae.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |