The Herpetological Journal

pp. 195-199
Authors: Fagundes, Camila Kurzmann and Bager, Alex and Cechin, Sonia Terezinha Zanini

Abstract: The biology of the turtle Trachemys dorbigni is little known. To contribute to knowledge of its reproductive ecology, we studied a population in southern Brazil from September 2006 to January 2007. Nesting occurred from 22 October to 4 January. Mean clutch size was 8.2 eggs and mean egg size was 37.3 × 20.2 mm, the lowest values reported for the species. Egg dimensions showed no relationship to clutch size or female size. Only 35.3% of the females in the population nested during the breeding season; 11.9% of females nested twice. The incubation temperature in the nests ranged from 16.1 to 35.5 °C (mean 27.3 °C). The distance of the nests from an adjacent marsh ranged between 0.4 m and 160.5 m (mean = 60.5 m) and predation on the nests was more intense closer to the marsh. The study illustrates the importance of understanding habitat use and the potential for human disturbance to modify reproductive parameters of turtles.

Keywords: CLUTCH, PREDATION, TESTUDINES, NESTING, INCUBATION TEMPERATURE, EMYDIDAE, D'ORBIGNY'S SLIDER TURTLE, INTERNESTING