DOCSLIB.ORG

Do Male Kinosternon Scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Do Male Kinosternon Scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766) 186 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 26 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2014 SHORT NOTE Do male Kinosternon scorpioides characteristics to female body size and envi - (LiNNAEuS , 1766) select and ronmental variables; reproductive period; monopolize females? nesting behavior and ecology (P RiTCHARD & T REBBAu 1984; mENDONçA et al. 1987; The mating systems in vertebrates can CLARK et al. 2001; RuEDA -A L mONACiDi et be monogamous or polygamous (polygy - al. 2007; DODD 2008; LiNDE mAN 2008; nous, polyandrous and polygynandrous) vOgT 2008; mACiP -R íOS et al. 2009; BERRy (EmLEN & O RiNg 1977; SRiPRATEEP et al. & i vERSON 2011; ivERSON & v OgT 2011; 2013). According to these authors, polygy - CHAvES et al. 2012; i vERSON et al. 2012). nous systems, in which one or a few males informa tion regarding mating systems in mate with several females, may have domi - this group was not found. nant males that form harems and prevent The Scorpion mud Turtle Kinosternon other males to mate with females belonging scorpioides LiNNAEuS , 1766 (Kinosterni dae), to the harem. Thus, few males, usually the is found in the freshwaters of north, northeast larger ones, are able to reproduce, while and center-west of Brazil ( RuEDA -A LmO- many others (mostly the smal ler ones) have NACiDi et al. 2007; vOgT 2008; COSTA et al. less chance of leaving descendants. 2010). Regarding sexual dimorphism, there The formation of these harems is usu - is evidence of larger males ( BERRy & S HiNE ally associated with the presence of sexual 1980) and larger females ( CASTRO 2006). dimorphism. According to SHiNE (1978), There are no records of fighting between intrasexual competition for reproductive males for females and harems formation in females produce males larger than females this species. This study aims to report and in some species of snakes. This pattern is discuss the presence of a polygynic mating also known and studied in lizards ( COx et al. system in the aquatic species K. scorpioides 2003). Acco rding to BERRy & S HiNE (1980), and the lack of preference of males of this males are larger than females in semiaquat - species in relation to the size of females. ic and bottom walking aquatic turtles where Seven adults of Kinosternon scorpi - there is fighting or males subdue the oides (three males and four females) were females during copulation (forced insemi - maintained for one year (February 2012 to nation). Formation of harems and territori - January 2013) in a cement tank size (2.7 m ality are common in vertebrates ( ANiBALDi x 2.1 m x 0.3 m) on the outside of the et al. 1998; ORTEgA & A RiTA 1999; m AHER Núcleo Regional de Ofiologia da universi - & L OTT 2000; C uADRADO 2001; K LOSE et al. dade Federal do Ceará (NuROF-uFC). The 2009). in turtles, fighting for females and animals were recogni zed by their size, col - establishment of dominant males mostly oration as well as anomalies present. They occur in terrestrial species (H ARLESS 1979; were fed two or three times a week with BERRy & S HiNE 1980; N iBLiCK et al. 1994; neonatal mice, beef and poultry and dog’s KESWiCK et al. 2006; mANN et al. 2006). food. From monday to Friday, behavioral Polyandry is common in sea turtles observations of the ‘scan’ sampling type (P EARSE & A viSE 2001; CRimm et al. 2002; (mARTiN & B ATESON 2009) were made mOORE & B ALL 2002; L EE & H AyS 2004; every two hours, from 08:00 h to 18:00 h. BOWEN & K ARL 2007) and freshwater tur - Despite the nocturnal activity of K. scorpi - tles (v ALENZuELA 2000; P EARSE et al. 2002; oides , nocturnal samplings were not per - FANTiN et al. 2008); it increases hatching formed, hence it was not possible to pre - success and genetic diversity among the off - clude copulations at night. in addition occa - spring ( PEARSE & A viSE 2001; PEARSE et al. sional observations were made since the 2002). However, polygyny is less common tank was located in a well visible and acces - in aquatic turtles ( CRimm et al. 2002). Accord - sible place. A total of 418 scans were per - ing to these authors, recording of this mat - formed. Chi-square analysis was used to ing system was related to a female-biased assess whether the dominant male showed sex ratio present in the study area. preference for a particular female. The The present knowledge of Kinoster - analysis was developed in the free statistical nidae reproduction is focused in egg size software R ver. 2.13.0 (http://www.r-proj - and clutch size and the relation of these ect.org/) at a significance level of p = 0.05. SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 26 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2014 SHORT NOTE 187 The authors recorded 21 events of male subdues the female in order to copulate. copulation, all performed by the largest This type of reproduction occurs in K. scor - male with multiple females present in the pioides (BERRy & S HiNE 1980; C ASTRO tank. The two smaller males were never 2006), a fact also observed in this study. seen copulating and no agonistic interac - Based on this hypothesis, we predict that tions were observed between males. The smaller females should copulate more fre - dominant individual showed no pre ference quently than larger ones, since they would be for certain females ( χ2 = 0.67, P = 0.881). less resistant to subjugation. However, the Fighting for females and the formation lack of prevalence of copulations with small - of “harems” is chiefly reported from terres - er females observed in this study refutes this trial turtle species (references given above). hypothesis. This result also reinforces the Thus, the record of the occurrence of this need and importance of more studies, prefer - mating system in an aquatic species is note - ably in natural habitats, of mating systems in worthy. However, care is needed interpreting order to better understand sexual dimorphism results from studies in captivity because the in turtles. The existence of a polygynic mat - conditions under which the animals are held ing system forming “harems” is a novelty in may be different from those found in nature. kinosternids, which should be subject to EmLEN & O RiNg (1977) state that the studies in the natural environment. monopoly of resources, such as reproductive REFERENCES: ANiBALDi , C. & L uiSELLi , L. & females, directly depends on the balance be - ANgELiCi , F. m. (1998): Notes on the ecology of a sub - tween the advantages of the monopoly urban population of Rainbow lizards in coastal Kenya.- (increased fitness) and the disadvantages African Journal of Ecology, malden; 36: 199-206. BERRy , J. F. & ivERSON , J. B. (2011): Kinosternon scor - existing (damage by fighting and energy pioides (LiNNAEuS , 1766) – Scorpion mud Turtle; pp. invested in disputes). These authors empha - 63.1-63.15. in: RHODiN , A. g. F. & PRiTCHARD , P. C. H. size that harems usually occur when females & vAN DiJK , P. P. & SAumuRE , R. A. & BuHLmAN , K. A. &ivERSON , J. B. & miTTERmEiER , R. A. (Eds.): Con - have an aggregated distribution for second - servation biology of freshwater turtles and tortoises: A ary reasons, not breeding, and males utilize compilation project of the iuCN/SSC Tortoise and this aggregation to exercise the monopoly. in Freshwater Turtle Specialist group.- Chelonian Re - the case discussed in this study, the small search monographs No 5, Lunenburg. BERRy , J. F. & SHiNE , R. (1980): Sexual size dimorphism and sexual area of the tank in which the animals were selection in turtles (Order Testudines).- Oecologia, New accommodated may have increased the york; 44 (2): 185-191. BOWEN , B. W. & KARL , S. A. aggregation of females and thus facilitated (2007): Population genetics and phylogeography of sea the monopoly of the larger male. in the wild, turtles.- molecular Ecology, malden; 16: 4886-4907. CASTRO , A. B. (2006): Biologia reprodutiva e cresci - this species can move considerable distances mento do muçuã Kinosternon scorpioides (LiN NAEuS , on land in search of vacant water bodies 1766) em cativeiro. msc Thesis, universidade Federal (P RiTCHARD & T REBBAu 1984 ). in doing so, do Pará, Belém, Brazil, pp. 100. CHAvES , E. P. & potential competitors/rivals would avoid OLivEiRA , S. C. R. & A RAúJO , L. P. F. & O LivEiRA , A. S. & m igLiNO , m. A. & A BREu -S iLvA , A. L. & m ELO , F. A. male-male encounters; this might relativize & S OuSA , A. L. (2012): morphological aspects of the the importance of strategies towards female ovaries of turtle Kinosternon scorpioides raised in cap - monopolization. in many turtle species, tivity.- Pesquisa veterinária Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro; 32 (7): 667-671. CLARK , P. J. & E WERT , m. A. & N ELSON females have the potential of sperm storage, C. E. (2001): Physical apertures as constraints on egg which allows them to increase its fitness by size and shape in the Common musk Turtle, Sterno - chosing the male’s sperm used and by saving therus odoratus .- Functional Ecology, malden; 15: 70- energy avoiding additional copulations 77. COSTA , H. D. & m O LiNA , F. DE B. & S ãO -P EDRO , v. DE . A. & F EiO , R. N. (2010): Reptilia, Testudi nes, Kino - (P EARSE & A viSE 2001). The monopoly of a sternidae, Kino sternon scorpioides (LiNNAE uS , 1766): larger male would also reduce costs with Distribution extension.- Check List, Campi nas; 6: 314- additional matings and guarantee a good fit - 315. COx , R. m. & S KELLy , S. E. & J OHN -A LDER , H. B . ness to females’ offspring, despite the gene - (2003): A comparative test of adaptive hypotheses for sexual size dimorphism in lizards.- Evolution, malden; tic variability is reduced. 57 (7): 1653-1669. CRimm , J. L. & S POTiLA , L. D. & According BERRy & S HiNE (1980), an SPOTiLA , J.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Morphological Study of Epididymides in the Scorpion Mud Turtle in Natural Habitat (Kinosternon Scorpioides – Linnaeus, 1976)
    Biotemas, 26 (2): 153-162, junho de 2013 doi: 10.5007/2175-7925.2013v26n2p153153 ISSNe 2175-7925 Morphological study of epididymides in the scorpion mud turtle in natural habitat (Kinosternon scorpioides – Linnaeus, 1976) Diego C. Viana 1 Leandro A. Rui 1 Maria A. Miglino ¹ Lianne P. F. Araujo 2 Antonia S. Oliveira 2 Alana L. Sousa 2* 1 Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, CEP 05508-270, Sao Paulo – SP, Brazil. 2 Department of Clinical Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science State University of Maranhao, Cidade Universitaria Paulo VI, CEP 65054-970, Sao Luis – MA, Brazil. * Corresponding author [email protected] Submetido em 08/06/2012 Aceito para publicação em 14/01/2013 Resumo Estudo morfológico dos epidídimos de jurará em habitat natural (Kinosternon scorpioides – Linnaeus, 1976). No estado do Maranhão, é encontrado o quelônio de água doce Kinosternon scorpioides, conhecido como jurará, que possui valor social, econômico e ambiental. Vinte jurarás adultos foram coletados nos meses de março, junho, setembro e dezembro, correspondendo aos dois períodos do ano: as estações chuvosa e seca. De cada animal colheram-se os epidídimos para averiguar a existência de sazonalidade reprodutiva. Os órgãos foram avaliados por microscopia de luz e eletrônica de varredura e de transmissão e analisados à altura do epitélio epididimário e os diâmetros tubular e luminal. Os epidídimos estavam divididos em rede testis, ducto eferente e ducto epididimário. Na estação chuvosa, eles apresentaram, epitélio pseudoestratificado estereociliado; na estação seca, eles se caracterizaram por células simples, cúbicas e não ciliadas.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S
    Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4—An Update April 2013 Prepared by: Pam L. Fuller, Amy J. Benson, and Matthew J. Cannister U.S. Geological Survey Southeast Ecological Science Center Gainesville, Florida Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia Cover Photos: Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix – Auburn University Giant Applesnail, Pomacea maculata – David Knott Straightedge Crayfish, Procambarus hayi – U.S. Forest Service i Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ vi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of Region 4 Introductions Since 2000 ....................................................................................... 1 Format of Species Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 2 Explanation of Maps ................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sacred Turtles in Mayan Art and Iconography
    Sacred Animals and Exotic Tropical Plants by Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth Sacred turtles in Mayan art and iconography new FLAAR Report* now lists all picted in Mayan art as one of the housings of the animals that were sacred or of God N (also called Pauahtun). Normally Aotherwise considered as special by God N is in a conch shell or snail shell, but the Classic Maya. !ere are animals that are sometimes he can be in a turtle carapace. related to the sky (constellations, stars, plan- Turtles are found in the various Mayan ets), the forests and those that are associated codices and in the murals of Bonampak. with rivers, lakes, swamps and the oceans. Any good book on Mayan archaeoastrono- !ese waters are conflated by the cosmology my will discuss the turtles (and peccary) in of the Preclassic and Classic Maya into the the murals and codices. Turtles are decora- underwaterworld. tion for a typical Puuc structure at Uxmal On the surface of this underwaterworld you in the Yucatán. Turtle symbolism is deeply get the major interaction of exotic creatures. embedded in Classic Maya beliefs. Crocodiles, fish, sharks, turtles—both sea tur- Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth is director of FLAAR tles and freshwater turtles—are often depicted. Reports (Foundation for Latin American Anthro- It has long been recognized that turtle pological Research). To view the list of sacred ani- mals visit www.maya-archaeology.org or contact carapaces were used as musical instruments. Dr. Hellmuth at frontdesk@flaar.org !ese instruments are pictured in murals * See the complete list of sacred animals at and on pottery vases, especially in the Late www.maya-archaeology.org Classic period (AD 600-800).
    [Show full text]
  • Invasion of the Turtles? Wageningen Approach
    Alterra is part of the international expertise organisation Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). Our mission is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. Within Wageningen UR, nine research institutes – both specialised and applied – have joined forces with Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 40 locations (in the Netherlands, Brazil and China), 6,500 members of staff and 10,000 students, Wageningen UR is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. The integral approach to problems and the cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are at the heart of the Invasion of the turtles? Wageningen Approach. Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. We offer a combination of practical and scientific Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and the sustainable use of our living environment, such as flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geo-information and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society. Alterra report 2186 ISSN 1566-7197 More information: www.alterra.wur.nl/uk R.J.F. Bugter, F.G.W.A. Ottburg, I. Roessink, H.A.H. Jansman, E.A. van der Grift and A.J. Griffioen Invasion of the turtles? Commissioned by the Invasive Alien Species Team of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority Invasion of the turtles? Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment R.J.F.
    [Show full text]
  • Biologia, Allevamento E Riproduzione in Cattività Di Kinosternon Scorpioides Scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766)
    Schildkröten im Fokus Online, Bergheim 2012: 4: 1–12 Andrea Luison Biologia, allevamento e riproduzione in cattività di Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides (LINNAEUS, 1766) Testi e foto Andrea Luison, Latina, Italia Introduzione esemplari giovani. È una specie abba­ molti appassionati di trovare in com­ Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides è stanza resistente alla vita in cattività e mercio esemplari giovani, e riducen­ stata descritta da Linnaeus nel 1766. viste le dimensioni abbastanza ridot­ do il rischio di acquistare esemplari di In base alle informazioni in mio pos­ te, è adatta all’allevamento in acqua­ cattura, spesso stressati e debilitati. sesso ogni anno vengono importati in rio. Fortunatamente, negli ultimi È una specie di libera vendita, Europa migliaia di esemplari adulti di anni, ci sono state diverse riproduzio­ che non necessità di documentazione K. s. scorpioides e solo raramente ni in cattività, permettendo cosi a CITES. Fig. 1 Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides occupa un vasto areale in Sudamerica. Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides, the scorpion mud turtle lives in huge parts of South America. SCHILDKRÖTEN IM FOKUS ONLINE 4, 2012 1 Andrea Luison Biologia, allevamento e riproduzione in cattività di Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides Classificazione (Iverson 1992, Cabrera & Colan­ K. acutum, K. alamosae, K. angusti- Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides tonio 1997, Schilde 2001, Van Dijk pons, K. arizonense, K. baurii, K. chi- appartiene alla famiglia dei et al 2011): Claudius, Kinosternon, malhuaca, K. creaseri, K. dunni, K. Kinosternidae, che attualmente com­ Staurotypus, e Sternotherus. Il genere durangoense, K. flavescens, K. herre- prende quattro generi differenti Kinosternon è formato da 18 specie: rai, K. hirtipes (6 sottospecie), K. inte- Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Spermiogenesis in Scorpion Mud Turtle, Kinosternon Scorpioides*
    Spermiogenesis in scorpion mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides* Diego Carvalho Viana¹+, Amilton Cesar dos Santos¹ and Antônio Chaves de Assis Neto¹ ABSTRACT. Viana D.C., Santos A.C. & Assis Neto A.C. Spermiogenesis in scorpion mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioide. [Espermatogênese em tartaru- ga da lama Kinosternon scorpioides.] Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(4):389-396, 2015. Department of Surgery, Sector Anatomy, School of Vet- erinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] The spermatogenesis events have been commonly studied in mammals. On the other hands, there are few studies in reptiles, especially in turtles. In this group there are unique structural variations for sperm formation, determined by reproductive adaptive divergence. The aim of present study was to dee- pen the understanding about the subcellular process of the spermiogenesis by transmission electron micrographic analysis in turtles Kinosternon scorpioides. The result showed the cytoplasmatic elongation of the spermatid in order to removing the content excess and allows the meeting between the spermatozoa and ova. Such morphological aspect could be necessarily to move efficiently in direction to the ova in female reproductive tract. In addition mitochondrial structure and shape was poorly defined with ridges and dense nuclei surroun- ded by concentric lipid bilayers. KEY WORDS. Electron microscopy, manchette, spermatozoa, ultrastructure, reptile. RESUMO. Os eventos da espermiogênese foram densos, rodeada por bica madas concêntrica de li- bem estudados em mamíferos, entretanto, poucas pídios. in vestigações foram feitas em répteis e principal- PALAVRAS-CHAVE. Microscopia eletrônica, esperma- mente em tartarugas.
    [Show full text]
  • Kinosternon Scorpioides (Scorpion Mud Turtle)
    UWI The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour Kinosternon scorpioides (Scorpion Mud Turtle) Family: Kinosternidae (Mud Turtles) Order: Testudines (Tortoises and Turtles) Class: Reptilia (Reptiles) Fig. 1. Scorpion mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides. [http://foro.elacuarista.com/index.php?topic=1991.0, downloaded 1 December 2014] TRAITS. Kinosternon scorpioides (Fig.1) has many variations in body size of the various sub- species due to geographic locations, but the ratio mean male size to mean female size remains to be that the males have a larger carapace length (outer shell) (exceeding 20cm in some populations) than the females (average of 15cm) (Iverson, 2010). Carapace length is the length of the fused dorsal plates of a turtle (The Free Dictionary, 2014). The carapace of many individuals can have three ridges/keels (Ernst and Barbour, 1989) that can be reduced in size with age. Males of this species have a large grasping/prehensile tail, which has a larger spine at the end (also called a terminal spine) compared to the females of this species (Pritchard and Trebbau. 1984) (Fig. 2). The shell colouration is varied within and among the populations and can vary from tan to black (also having olive and brown). The plastron has a lighter colour, which varies from yellow to UWI The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour brown in adults. Skin colour also has variations in some populations from gray to brown to nearly black and often have vermiculations (dense coverage but irregular line patterns) of yellow, orange or red either on the head or the neck of adults.
    [Show full text]
  • The Jaguar As a Potential Predator of Kinosternon Scorpioides (Linnaeus, 1766)
    SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 27 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2015 SHORT NOTE 205 The jaguar as a potential predator of Kinosternon scorpioides (liNNAEuS, 1766) Due to its large Neotropical range, the diet of the jaguar reflects the local spectrum of potential prey species and, thus varies by region (DE OlivEiRA 2002). Although the cat has a marked preference for mammals, there are reported cases in which reptiles were eaten (EMMONS 1989; CHiNCHillA 1997; FONSECA et al. 2009; SAlERA et al. 2009; CAvAlCANTi & gESE 2010; PlATT & RAiN- WATER 2011; PAéZ et al. 2012; vERíSSiMO et al. 2012). These authors recorded predation of four species of sea turtle, Iguana iguana (liNNAEuS, 1758), Caiman crocodilus (liN- NAEuS, 1758), Melanosuchus niger (SPiX, 1825), Crocodylus acutus (CuviER, 1807) and the turtle species Podocnemis expansa (SCHWEiggER, 1812), Podocnemis unifilis TROSCHEl, 1848, Chelonoidis denticulata (liNNAEuS, 1766), Chelonoidis carbonaria (SPiX, 1824) and Platemys platycephala (SCHNEiDER, 1792). 206 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 27 (3/4) Wien, 30. Jänner 2015 SHORT NOTE Fig. 1: Camera trap photograph of a jaguar ( Pan - Fig. 2: The shell remains of the adult thera onca ) taken on April 6, 2011, at Santa Rosa Scorpion Mud Turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides National Park, guanacaste, Costa Rica. The site is (liNNAEuS , 1766) , mentioned in the legend located 25 meters from a place where the remains to Fig. 1., show bite marks which the authors of a Scorpion Mud Turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides attribute to the dentition of a jaguar (liNNAEuS , 1766 ), were found (see Fig. 2). (Panthera onca ). local populations of jaguars ( Pan - remaining water sources ( vAugHAN & W EiS thera onca ) in Santa Rosa National Park, 1999).
    [Show full text]
  • Chelonian Advisory Group Regional Collection Plan 4Th Edition December 2015
    Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Chelonian Advisory Group Regional Collection Plan 4th Edition December 2015 Editor Chelonian TAG Steering Committee 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Steering Committee Structure ........................................................................................................... 3 Officers, Steering Committee Members, and Advisors ..................................................................... 4 Taxonomic Scope ............................................................................................................................. 6 Space Analysis Space .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Current and Potential Holding Table Results ............................................................................. 8 Species Selection Process Process ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Decision Tree ........................................................................................................................... 13 Decision Tree Results .............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Kinosternon Scorpioides Albogulare (Duméril and Bocourt 1870) – White-Throated Mud Turtle, Swanka Turtle
    Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A CompilationKinosternidae Project of the IUCN/SSC— Kinosternon Tortoise scorpioidesand Freshwater albogulare Turtle Specialist Group 064.1 A.G.J. Rhodin, P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, J.B. Iverson, and R.A. Mittermeier, Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.064.albogulare.v1.2011 © 2011 by Chelonian Research Foundation • Published 31 December 2011 Kinosternon scorpioides albogulare (Duméril and Bocourt 1870) – White-Throated Mud Turtle, Swanka Turtle GERMAN FORERO -MEDINA 1,2 AND OL G A V. CASTAÑO -MORA 2 1Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 USA [[email protected]]; 2Grupo de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia [[email protected]] SUMMARY . – The White-throated Mud Turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides albogulare (Family Kinos- ternidae), is a poorly studied taxon that inhabits freshwater ponds, streams, and mangrove forests in Central America from Honduras to Panama and the Caribbean island of San Andrés, Colombia. Carapace length can reach approximately 150 mm, but varies geographically, with some populations averaging only 125 mm; clutch size ranges from 1–6, but usually 2–5, and egg size is approximately 31 x 15 mm. Although little is known about its ecology, reproduction, and population trends, its occurrence in several countries, the fact that its habitat is included in some protected areas, the low human consumption, and the high estimated densities at some sites, support the premise that it is not currently globally threatened.
    [Show full text]
  • International Zoo News Vol. 50/5 (No
    International Zoo News Vol. 50/5 (No. 326) July/August 2003 CONTENTS OBITUARY – Patricia O'Connor EDITORIAL FEATURE ARTICLES Reptiles in Japanese Collections. Part 1: Ken Kawata Chelonians, 1998 Breeding Birds of Paradise at Simon Bruslund Jensen and Sven Hammer Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation An Artist Visits Two Chinese Zoos Frank Pé Variation in Reliability of Measuring Tony King, Elke Boyen and Sander Muilerman Behaviours of Reintroduced Orphan Gorillas Letter to the Editor Book Reviews Conservation Miscellany International Zoo News Recent Articles * * * OBITUARY Patricia O'Connor Dr Patricia O'Connor Halloran made history when she took the position of the staff veterinarian of the Staten Island Zoo, New York, in 1942: she became the first full-time woman zoo veterinarian (and, quite possibly, the first woman zoo veterinarian) in North America. She began her zoo work at a time when opportunities for career-oriented women were limited. Between 1930 and 1939, only 0.8 percent of graduates of American and Canadian veterinary schools were women (the figure had increased to more than 60 percent by the 1990s). At her husband's suggestion she continued to use her maiden name O'Connor as her professional name. For nearly three decades until her retirement in 1970 she wore many hats to keep the zoo going, especially during the war years. She was de facto the curator of education, as well as the curator of mammals and birds. A superb organizer, she helped found several organizations, including the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV). Dr O'Connor became the AAZV's first president from 1946 to 1957, and took up the presidency again in 1965.
    [Show full text]
  • M39-00672-Graham Megan Scorpion Mud Turtle Olfaction EAP Spring 2018
    Graham 1 Food finding using olfaction by scorpion mud turtles (Kinosternon scorpioides) Megan M. Graham Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz EAP Tropical Biology and Conservation Program, Spring 2018 8 June 2018 ABSTRACT The mechanism used to locate food varies between animals, whether it be by olfaction, vision, hearing, touch, taste, or some combination of these. Many turtle species rely on vision and olfaction to find prey. I designed an experiment to test if scorpion mud turtles (Kinosternon scorpioides) can find food using olfaction by placing the turtles in Rio Cuajiniquil with three nondescript capsules containing sardine chunks and three empty, control capsules. Observations of six turtles’ interactions with the capsules suggested that they can locate food through olfaction; however, only one statistical analysis was significant which was that the turtles were more likely to bite full capsules than empty capsules. El descubrimiento de alimento por medio del olfato en las tortugas candado (Kinosternon scorpioides) RESUMEN Los mecanismos utilizados para localizar alimentos varían entre las especies de animales, ya sea por olfato, visión, audición, tacto, gusto o alguna combinación de estos. Muchas especies de tortugas dependen de la visión y el olfato para encontrar sus presas. Diseñé un experimento para probar si las tortugas candado (Kinosternon scorpioides) podían encontrar comida usando el olfato. Coloqué las tortugas en el Río Cuajiniquil con tres cápsulas que contenían trozos de sardina y tres cápsulas vacías de control. Las observaciones de las interacciones de seis tortugas con las cápsulas sugirieron que pueden localizar los alimentos a través del olfato; sin embargo, solo uno de los análisis estadísticos fue significativo, la cual fue que las tortugas tenían mayor probabilidad de morder las cápsulas completas que las cápsulas vacías.
    [Show full text]