Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal最新文献

{"title":"Diet of Dermatemys mawii, an Aquatic Turtle That Relies Heavily on Terrestrial Vegetation","authors":"Nichole D. Bishop, J. Polisar, P. Eliazar, R. Carthy, K. Bjorndal","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1467.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1467.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Dermatemys mawii is a critically endangered freshwater turtle endemic to Central America. In the wild, these turtles are thought to be wholly herbivorous as adults and feed on a variety of vegetation; however, no studies have quantitatively assessed potential dietary differences based on biotic and abiotic factors. The purpose of our study was to describe and quantify the wild diet of D. mawii and assess differences based on habitat, maturity, and sex. We evaluated the stomach contents of 66 turtles legally harvested by local hunters for personal consumption throughout the country of Belize. Percent volume (by displacement) and percent frequency of each stomach item were used to calculate an index of relative importance (IRI). One algal and 6 plant families contributed to an overall diet composition consisting of leaves, flowers, stems, seedpods, seeds, and fruit. Rocks and invertebrates were also consumed, although we believe these to be incidental consumption. The leaves of the riparian tree Inga edulis were present in 73.1% of turtle stomachs and accounted for almost half of the total volume of all stomach contents combined. We used Spearman rank correlation coefficients to test the null hypothesis that there was no correlation in the rankings of stomach items (i.e., there were differences) when comparing turtles by habitat, age, and sex. There were significant differences in the ranking of food items between river and lagoon habitats, with lagoon turtles relying heavily on the algae Nitella sp.; however, the stomach contents from both habitats were equally diverse (Hrivers = 1.68, Hlagoons = 1.64). There were no differences in IRIs between adults and juveniles or between males and females. Our results emphasize the importance of habitat in D. mawii diet selection and the importance of leaves from riparian plants species that are shed into their aquatic habitats.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115624516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing Life Histories of the Shortest-Lived Turtle Known (Chicken Turtles, Deirochelys reticularia) with Long-Lived Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)","authors":"J. Congdon, K. Buhlmann, J. Gibbons","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1521.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1521.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Evolutionary theories predict major differences in life-history trait values of long- and short-lived organisms. Such comparisons have not been possible for chelonians because no short-lived turtle was known until research revealed that chicken turtles (Deirochelys reticularia; DR) have a maximum longevity of 21 yrs. Life-history trait values of DR females are 1) age at maturity of females = 5–6 yrs; 2) clutches per season = 1.6; 3) annual fecundity = 6–8 female eggs per female; 4) average juvenile survivorship from age 1 to maturity = 0.60; and 5) low average annual adult survivorship = 0.66. We compared DR with the very long-lived Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii; EB) in Michigan. Over 14 yrs with no mortality (the minimum age at maturity of EB), the maximum potential fecundity produced by a single female embryo and her mature female offspring was 5 female eggs for EB and 1040 eggs for DR. Comparisons of life table output for approximately stable populations of DR and EB resulted in cohort generation times of 7 and 37 yrs, respectively. The life-history prediction that short-lived organisms should produce smaller offspring was not supported. Average wet mass of eggs is 10 g (8.4–11.3 g) for DR and 12 g (10–14 g) for EB; and average wet mass of hatchlings is 7.3 g (6–9 g) for DR and 9.3 g (6–13 g) for EB. Both differences are smaller than expected based on the difference in longevity. Short-lived female DR have an unusual tactic of investing in high fecundity and making substantial body size-specific investment in large eggs, which may reflect why juvenile survivorship had greater influence on population change rates than did adult survivorship. In contrast, adult survivorship had the greatest influence on population change rates of EB. Comparison of cohorts of 1000 female DR and EB hatchlings highlights the differences in life histories of short- and long-lived turtles: all DR would be dead by the time the last female EB had reached maturity at 21 yrs of age.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130110930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology, Volume 21, Issue 1: Covid, Chelonians, and a New “Normal”","authors":"Jeffrey A. Seminoff","doi":"10.2744/1071-8443-21.1.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/1071-8443-21.1.1","url":null,"abstract":"Here you will find 15 articles with conservation and research efforts reported from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Philippines, United States, and Venezuela) and data presented for 15 species: Caretta caretta (loggerhead), Chelonia mydas (green turtle), Chelydra serpentina (snapping turtle), Deirochelys reticularia (chicken turtle), Dermatemys mawaii (Central American river turtle), Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding's turtle), Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill), Gopherus polyphemus (gopher tortoise), Lepidochelys kempii (Kemp's ridley), Lepidochelys olivacea (olive ridley), Macrochelys suwanniensis (Suwannee alligator snapping turtle), Macrochelys temminckii (alligator snapping turtle), Malayemys khoratensis (Khorat snail-eating turtle), Myuchelys bellii (Bell's turtle), and Siebenrockiella leytensis (Palawan forest turtle). In addition to this diversity of turtle and tortoise species, the research and conservation topics covered in this issue are wide ranging, and include anatomy and physiology, comparative life history analysis, demography and distribution, sea turtle stranding and bycatch research, genetic research, diet analysis, predation abatement strategies, veterinary science, and elaboration of local ecological knowledge.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"55 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131672375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nesting Refuge Structures Are Ineffective at Protecting Bell's Turtle (Myuchelys bellii) Nests from Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Depredation","authors":"Geoffrey N. Hughes, A. Burns, P. Mcdonald","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1507.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1507.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Invasive red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are a serious conservation issue for Australia's freshwater turtle species, including the endangered Bell's turtle (Myuchelys bellii). As many as 96% of Australian freshwater turtle nests may be depredated in a season by foxes. Current methods of turtle nest protection rely on early detection of nesting activity, followed by nest-specific structures to prevent predation. An alternative method to provide protection against fox raiding was tested: nesting refuge structures based on a design successfully used in the United States to protect diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) nests. Six wood and chicken wire structures were placed at different sites beside large riverine pools on the Macdonald and Gwydir rivers, northeastern New South Wales, Australia, in the summers of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Sites were chosen for known previous nesting activity or presence of mature females, and each structure was placed in typical Bell's turtle nesting habitat at known nesting sites. Prior to placement, the soil was tilled with a rotary hoe to make the interior of the structure more enticing as nesting habitat, because Bell's turtles had been previously seen to nest in disturbed soils. Although females did approach the structures and in one case entered, no females were recorded nesting inside. Further, severe flooding in both years damaged and/or displaced 4 of the 6 structures. Rigid nest protection structures were therefore not shown to be an effective nest protection method for this species, despite their success in other regions for other species. Negative results such as these are important for conservation studies because they guide conservation efforts away from expending limited resources on ineffective methods and strategies.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126920780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Juvenile Hawksbill Turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, in the Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, Cuba","authors":"F. Moncada, O. Revuelta, Gonzalo Nodarse, Y. Medina, Anyell Caderno","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1504.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1504.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Immature hawksbill turtles were studied in Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, the principal area of distribution for this species in Cuban waters. Hawksbill areas of occurrence, size composition, scope of movement range, and somatic growth rates are presented. A total of 496 individuals were caught while diving or with nets at depths of 0.5–2.5 m. Differences in size distribution were observed among survey areas within the Jardines de la Reina Archipelago. Mean curved carapace lengths were 35.6 ± 9.6 cm and 59.6 ± 7.7 cm for hawksbills captured in the external and internal cays, respectively. Forty-two individuals were recaptured between 1 and 4 times at intervals averaging 554.9 d. For recaptured turtles, 91% were encountered within < 1 km of their original capture location. Our findings indicate that the benthic habitats of Jardines de la Reina Archipelago are favorable for the recruitment of juvenile hawksbill turtles transitioning from pelagic habitats. The data also show that hawksbills are distributed throughout the Jardines de la Reina Archipelago study region, and that coastal foraging areas within this region host small, postpelagic juveniles as well as larger immature hawksbills that have been resident for extended periods.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121874669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TURTLE POETRY","authors":"","doi":"10.2744/1071-8443-21.1.141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/1071-8443-21.1.141","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117315789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divergent Size-Class Distributions of Gopher Tortoise Burrows in Scrub and Flatwoods Habitats of Peninsular Florida","authors":"Traci D. Castellón, B. B. Rothermel, Jennifer L. Beck, J. L. Fort, Kelly M. O’Connor","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1523.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1523.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. In the southern half of peninsular Florida, where longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) sandhill communities are scarce, gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) primarily occupy mesic flatwoods and Florida scrub habitats that appear suboptimal due to poorly drained soils in flatwoods and low forage abundance in scrub. Tortoise populations persist in these habitats, but their demography is poorly understood. We used burrow size-class distributions to assess population age structure in flatwoods and scrub habitats. In addition, we monitored tortoise nests and burrows with automated cameras to assess nest fate and visitation by predators. Burrows in flatwoods were strongly skewed toward adult size classes, suggesting low juvenile recruitment, which may be due to poor nest success caused by surface flooding or saturated soils. Size class distributions in scrub were also skewed but were closer to the expected range for a long-lived species with slowed growth following maturity. Rates of predator visitation did not differ between habitats but nests in flatwoods were inundated by heavy rains. More research is needed to clarify the demographics of gopher tortoises in the southernmost extent of their range. However, we suspect that some negative demographic consequences of suboptimal conditions may be offset by the warm climate in southern Florida, which may lengthen the growing season, promoting faster growth and earlier age at first reproduction that could boost population growth.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"310 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115911014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population Status of the Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis) in the Suwannee River, Florida","authors":"Travis M. Thomas, Kevin M. Enge, E. Suarez, Gerald R. Johnston","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1500.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1500.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Freshwater megafauna populations, which are declining worldwide, are well known but often overlooked and understudied compared with marine and terrestrial megafauna. One species of freshwater megafauna is the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis), which is endemic to the Suwannee River drainage in Georgia and Florida. Several trapping studies have examined M. suwanniensis distribution, body size, and population structure, but little information exists regarding its population status. The objectives of our study were to 1) estimate population size, 2) estimate apparent survival, and 3) model population growth rates (k) by conducting a capture–mark–recapture study of M. suwanniensis in the Suwannee River in Florida. From 2011 to 2013, we repeatedly sampled 12 randomly selected 5-km sites along the Suwannee River for M. suwanniensis using baited hoop-net traps. We captured 126 individuals and had 29 recaptures. Both adult males and adult females had very high apparent survival (0.99), whereas juveniles had lower apparent survival (0.32). We estimated a population density of 6.6 turtles/river km, indicating a population of 1709 (95% CI, 1205–2694) M. suwanniensis from the town of White Springs to the upper limit of the estuary in the main stem of the Suwannee River (approximately 259 river km). We constructed 2 postbreeding census matrix population models for M. suwanniensis and incorporated parameters from this study and from the literature. Both matrix population models suggested a slightly decreasing population (k = 0.99), but because of the uncertainty around our estimates, we consider the population trend to be unclear. Elasticity analysis revealed that k was most sensitive to changes in adult survival compared with other model components. This is a conservation concern because adult M. suwanniensis may be incidentally killed by fishing gear. Our study was short-term, and our analyses had limitations; therefore, we recommend future areas of research, including long-term population monitoring.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130067654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of Microsatellite Loci for the Alligator Snapping Turtle and Cross-Amplification in Two Chelydrid Species","authors":"Luke Pearson, B. Kreiser, C. Qualls","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1538.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1538.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) has been proposed as a Threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act and is considered Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. To provide additional markers for conservation genetic studies, we identified 60 potential microsatellite loci, with 38 being polymorphic in M. temminckii, as well as successful cross-amplification of 12 and 32 polymorphic loci in the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle (M. suwanniensis) and Eastern snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), respectively. These loci will be useful in genetic studies associated with informing future management decisions for M. temminckii and the other species of Chelydridae.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"185 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131714190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Veterinary Observations and Biological Specimen Use after a Massive Confiscation of Palawan Forest Turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis)","authors":"C. Innis, K. Conley, P. Gibbons, N. Stacy, H. Walden, P. Martelli, Sonja Luz, Karthiyani Krishnasamy, Cris Hagen, John M. Sykes, D. Acosta, Kyle Tabug, M. O'Connor, V. V. Wilson, James Liu, Czaba Géczy, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, Ihsaan Sebro, Sheena Koeth, S. Lancaster, A. Grioni, S. Schneider, Olivia Vandersanden, Tom Owens, A. Walde, Niño Rey C. Estoya, A. Lee, S. Schoppe","doi":"10.2744/CCB-1510.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1510.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. In 2015, nearly 4000 critically endangered Palawan forest turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis) were confiscated on their native island of Palawan in the Philippines after being illegally harvested for the international wildlife trade. Local conservation biologists and an international team of veterinary and husbandry personnel evaluated, treated, and repatriated the majority of turtles (88%) over a 3-mo period. Common pathologic findings included ophthalmic, dermatologic, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal lesions, including keratitis, osteomyelitis of the shell and digits, pododermatitis, and colonic nematodiasis. Hemogram results indicated severe leukocytosis in many individuals. Specimens for genetic analysis and molecular diagnostics were archived, and several intact carcasses were established as museum specimens. International collaboration may be required to ensure the confiscation and survival of illegally traded endangered wildlife, with ongoing efforts toward enhancing the law enforcement, husbandry, and veterinary capacity of range country personnel.","PeriodicalId":126915,"journal":{"name":"Chelonian Conservation and Biology: Celebrating 25 Years as the World's Turtle and Tortoise Journal","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126185247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}