Download or read book Reproductive Biology of Alligator Snapping Turtles written by Denise Michele Thompson and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successful production of offspring (and ultimately grand-offspring) defines organisms' fitness. Therefore, I investigated three critical aspects of reproduction in the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), a model organism that is of great conservation interest. Specifically, I studied: (1) nesting behavior and (2) maternal reproductive investment patterns in a captive alligator snapping turtle population housed outdoors under semi-natural conditions, and (3) nest predation patterns in a reintroduced population. Both sites were located in the species' geographic range in southern Oklahoma. Females averaged 25 terrestrial forays prior to successfully nesting and average nesting duration was 185 minutes. Nesting activity positively correlated with increasing temperature, but did not correspond with rainfall. Larger females tended to lay larger eggs but the number of eggs per clutch was not related to female size. Instead, females primarily increased fecundity by allocating extra resources to producing more eggs rather than larger eggs. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are the most important nest predator in the population studied, and I investigated the role of soil disturbance and turtle olfactory stimuli in raccoon responses to artificially constructed alligator snapping turtle nests. Raccoons primarily used soil disturbance cues to detect artificial nests; however, after being detected nests with soil disturbance were more likely to survive an encounter with a raccoon than a nest that lacked visual stimuli. The conspicuous nesting strategy employed by M. temminckii is discussed as a potential evolutionarily adaptive strategy to disguise the exact location of the clutch from predators.
Download or read book Reproductive Biology and Conservation Genetics of the Alligator Snapping Turtle macrochelys Temminckii written by Amber R. Teare and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author's abstract: The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a highly aquatic turtle only found in Gulf of Mexico drainages. The biology of this species remains relatively unknown, despite years of harvest and use as a zoological attraction. The purposes of this study were to (1) determine gender size classes and assess sexual size dimorphism, (2) delineate the reproductive cycle of M. temminckii, particularly their sex steroid seasonality, and (3) evaluate possible genetic divergence between M. temminckii found in southwest Georgia and northern Florida. Alligator snapping turtles exhibit pronounced sexual size dimorphism as adults. However, determining sex in smaller individuals is difficult. The purpose of this study was to assess gender size classes and sexual dimorphism in Macrochelys temminckii. Alligator snapping turtles in southwest Georgia were trapped from March 2008 to April 2010. Captured turtles were bled, sexed based on size and ultrasound, and measured for multiple characteristics. For all measurements, adult males were larger than females. The relationships between carapace length, plastron-to-vent length, and testosterone levels were used to determine gender of smaller individuals. To ensure accurate sexual assignment when studying M. temminckii, data from multiple methods (morphological measurements, ultrasonography, testosterone levels, and, laparoscopy) should be used. To delineate the reproductive cycle of M. temminckii, blood samples were taken from captured individuals, and plasma testosterone and estradiol were measured using enzyme immunoassay. Males exhibited seasonal changes in testosterone levels, with maximum levels occurring in October. Mating behavior was elucidated from the appearance of wounds on males that only occurred in April. Females displayed seasonality in testosterone and estradiol levels, with relative peaks occurring in March and April (mating and ovulation) and September and October (follicular development). Genetic structure between M. temminckii populations separated by a dam and under different hunting pressures was assessed using microsatellite loci. Average number of alleles per locus and number of unique alleles was higher for the Florida population. Genetic structure was detected between the populations (FST = 0.043, p = 0.001). The rapid development of structuring between Florida and Georgia M. temminckii warrants further investigation into the effects of fragmentation and overexploitation on this species.
Download or read book The Alligator Snapping Turtle written by Peter Charles Howard Pritchard and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Nesting Ecology in Reintroduced Alligator Snapping Turtles Macrochelys Temminckii written by Jessica Leigh Miller and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large freshwater species that has experienced population declines throughout much of its range. In an effort to reestablish an extirpated population in southern Oklahoma, adult M. temminckii were released at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge in 2007. I investigated several aspects of M. temminckii reproductive biology within this reintroduced population, including nest-site selection, reproductive and nest predation rates, and patterns of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in natural nests. Water depth two meters from the shoreline and percentage ground cover were important factors in nest-site selection. The nest predation rate was 76% when efforts were made to protect nests and the average clutch size in intact nests was 22.4 eggs. The overall sex ratio in 2010 recruits was strongly female-biased (91.8% female) and a strongly skewed population sex ratio may become a serious threat to this reintroduced population if this trend continues. I also developed a technique to reliably estimate clutch size from predated M. temminckii shell fragments which will improve estimates of mean clutch size (and therefore annual fecundity) for the population. The persistence of several adult M. temminckii and evidence of successful reproduction and recruitment are positive signs, but post-release monitoring will need to continue for several more years in order for this reintroduction to be considered a success.
Download or read book Biology of the Snapping Turtle Chelydra Serpentina written by Anthony C. Steyermark and published by . This book was released on 2008-03-31 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume synthesizes all that is known about the common snapping turtle to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive resource on the species' evolution, physiology, behavior, and life history. Anthony C. Steyermark, Michael S. Finkler, Ronald J. Brooks, and a team of experts detail the systematics, energetics, growth patterns, sex determination, and population genetics of snapping turtles and devote special attention to the fossil record of the snapping turtle family Chelydridae.
Download or read book Population Structure and Reproduction of Alligator Snapping Turtles Macrochelys i e Macroclemys Temminckii at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge written by Lori Brianne Woosley and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Biology of Turtles written by Jeanette Wyneken and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2007-12-26 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring in-depth contributions from an international team of experts, the Biology of Turtles provides the first comprehensive review of the Testudinata. The book starts with the premise that the structure of turtles is particularly interesting and best understood within the context of their development, novelty, functional diversity, and e
Download or read book The Reproductive Biology of the Chelonia written by Gerald Kuchling and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a comparative view of chelonian reproduction and discusses ecophysiological implications for their captive breeding. Chelonians, with their protective rigid armour, are a phylogenetically antique group of reptiles which radiated to occupy niches from the open waters of the oceans, to rivers, creeks, swamps, forests, savannahs, and deserts. A few North American turtle species have been well studied, but until recently reproductive data on other chelonian species have been scarce. The way in which chelonians adjust their conservative mode of reproduction to the various requirements of their habitats and life styles is the theme of this book; the physiology of reproduction and its interplay with ecological conditions are its central subjects.
Download or read book Alligator Snapping Turtle written by Charlotte Samuel and published by . This book was released on 2020-06-24 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite their ubiquity in some areas of the natural world, snapping turtles are somewhat rare in captive collections. This is not surprising, given that snapping turtles grow to be quite large and their dispositions often range from irritable to overtly hostile; a momentary lapse in concentration can have disastrous consequences. However, while snapping turtles are wholly inappropriate for beginning turtle keepers and those without the means to provide spacious accommodations, experienced turtle keepers often find that these incredible animals make rewarding pets, and are well worth the resources they require. As when caring for any animal as a pet, keepers must learn as much as possible about the biology, behavior and ecology of the species, in order to provide them the highest quality of life possible
Download or read book The Biology and Status of the Alligator Snapping Turtle Macroclemys Temmincki with Research and Management Recommendations written by Peter Charles Howard Pritchard and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Biology and Identification of the Coccidia Apicomplexa of Turtles of the World written by Donald W. Duszynski and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2014-08-04 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Biology and Identification of the Coccidia (Apicomplexa) of Turtles of the World is an invaluable resource for researchers in protozoology, coccidia, and parasitology, veterinary sciences, animal sciences, zoology, and biology. This first-of-its-kind work offers a taxonomic guide to apicomplexan parasites of turtles that enables easy parasite identification, with a summary of virtually everything known about the biology of each known parasite species. It is an important documentation of this specific area, useful to a broad base of readers, including researchers in biology, parasitology, animal husbandry, diseases of wild and domestic animals, veterinary medicine, and faculty members in universities with graduate programs in these areas. There are about 330 turtle species on Earth; many are endangered, a growing number of species are kept as pets, and some are still used as food by humans. Turtles, like other vertebrate animals have many different kinds of parasites (viruses, bacteria, protozoa, worms, arthropods, and others). Coccidiosis in turtles has prevented large-scale turtle breeding, and represents a serious problem in need of control. This succinct and highly focused book will aid in that effort. Offers line drawings and photomicrographs of each parasite from each hosts species Provides methods of identification and treatment Presents a complete historical rendition of all known publications on coccidia (and their closest relatives) from all turtle species on Earth, and evaluates the scientific and scholarly merit of each Provides a complete species analysis of the known biology of every coccidian described from turtles Reviews the most current taxonomy of turtles and their phylogenetic relationships needed to help assess host-specificity and evaluate what little cross-transmission work is available
Download or read book Biology and Conservation of Alligator Snapping Turtles Macrochelys written by and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Reproductive Cycle of the Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra Serpentina written by James Barron White and published by . This book was released on 1972 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reproductive Biology of the Crocodylia written by Valentine Lance and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-12-04 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reproductive Biology of the Crocodylia is based on over 40 years of research on global crocodiles, alligators and caimans. It brings together data and information previously scattered across publications to synthesize knowledge on the history, ecology, physiology and anatomy of crocodilians. The book provides a comprehensive look at the physiology, current taxonomy, ecology and sexual maturity factors of these reptiles. It then delves into the anatomy and cycles of both male and female reproduction systems, including nesting and incubation, temperature-dependent sex determination, and sex ratios across various species populations. Finally, the book focuses on conservation efforts to protect the reproductive cycle, taking factors such as pollution, climate change, and human disruption into consideration. It is an ideal resource for wildlife biologists and herpetologists seeking up-to-date and thorough research data on conservation efforts. It will also be helpful for exotic animal veterinarians, zookeepers, and alligator or crocodile farmers. Focuses on crocodilian reproduction and how it is impacted by seasons, social interactions, pollution, and more Provides a thorough overview by a globally recognized expert on crocodilian reproduction and endocrinology Explores conservation efforts and offers insights for protecting crocodilian reproduction cycles against current factors, including pollution, environmental effects and human interference
Download or read book Habitat Use and Movements of Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys Temminckii Hatchlings written by Amity Ann Bass and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The objective of this study was to gather data concerning home range, movements, and habitat use of hatchling Alligator Snapping Turtles ... in order to better manage for this species. Nineteen hatchlings were tracked at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge during 2006. Ten animals were successfully tracked during the spring and nine during the fall. Hatchlings that were incubated in the laboratory or naturally on the railroad causeway were heavier and had longer carapace lengths than those naturally incubated along the forest-old field edge of the peninsula (p
Download or read book The Ecology Exploitation and Conservation of River Turtles written by Don Moll and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2004-04-08 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The underlying theme of this book is that a widespread, taxonomically diverse group of animals, important both from ecological and human resource perspectives, remains poorly understood and in delcine, while receiving scant attention from the ecological and conservation community. This volume proposes a comprehensive overview of the world's river turtles' ecology, conservation, and management. It begins with a categorization of taxa which inhabit flowing water habitats followed by information on their evolutionary and physical diversity and biogeography. Within the framework of ecology, the authors discuss the composition of river turtle communities in different types of lotic habitats and regions, population dynamics, movements, reproductive characteristics and behavior, predators, and feeding relationships. In a conservation and management section, the authors identify and evaluate the nature and intensity of factors which threaten river turtle survival--almost all of which involve direct human exploitation or indirect effects of human induced habitat alteration and degradation. They then list and evaluate the various schemes which have been proposed or employed to halt declines and restore populations, and make recommendations for future management plans for specific species and regions. In closing, they state their viewpoint concerning future research directions and priorities, and an evaluation of future prospects for survival of the world's river turtle species.
Download or read book Turtles of the United States and Canada written by Carl H. Ernst and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2009-06-15 with total page 840 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner, 2011 Book Award, The Wildlife Society2009 Outstanding Academic Title, Choice Ernst and Lovich’s thoroughly revised edition of this classic reference provides the most updated information ever assembled on the natural histories of North American turtles. From diminutive mud turtles to giant alligator snappers, two of North America’s most prominent experts describe the turtles that live in the fresh, brackish, and marine waters north of Mexico. Incorporating the explosion of new scientific information published on turtles over the past fifteen years—including the identification of four new species—Ernst and Lovich supply comprehensive coverage of all fifty-eight species, with discussions of conservation status and recovery efforts. Each species account contains information on identification, genetics, fossil record, distribution, geographic variation, habitat, behavior, reproduction, biology, growth and longevity, food habits, populations, predators, and conservation status. The book includes range maps for freshwater and terrestrial species, a glossary of scientific names, an extensive bibliography for further research, and an index to scientific and common names. Logically organized and richly illustrated—with more than two hundred color photographs and fifty-two maps—Turtles of the United States and Canada remains the standard for libraries, museums, nature centers, field biologists, and professional and amateur herpetologists alike.
