Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 407-410 (2015) (published online on 12 August 2015)

Hatchling morphology of the Tuberculate Toadhead (Mesoclemmys tuberculata [Lüederwaldt, 1926]) from northeastern Brazil (Testudines: )

Daniel Oliveira Santana1,*, Thiago Simon Marques2, Gustavo Henrique Calazans Vieira1, Renato Gomes Faria3 and Daniel Oliveira Mesquita1

The tuberculate toad-headed turtle, Mesoclemmys and Molina, 2004), but there are no descriptions of the tuberculata (Lüederwaldt, 1926), is a Neotropical hatchlings in the literature. Therefore, the objective of freshwater turtle endemic to Brazil (Bérnils and Costa, this study was to describe the morphology and color 2012) which is widely distributed in the Northeast region, pattern of a wild hatchling of M. tuberculata from the ranging from the inland northeastern semi-arid region in Atlantic Forest Region in northeastern Brazil. the Parnaíba river to the Atlantic-Northeastern Orient During an investigation about the ecology of freshwater and São Francisco basin (Souza, 2005). This has in northeastern Brazil, we hand-captured one been recorded in areas of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest hatchling of M. tuberculata on 30 July 2014, close to (Souza, 2005; Batistella et al., 2008; Santos et al., 2008; a pond (Figure 1) in the buffer zone of the Serra de Loebmann and Haddad, 2010; Morato et al., 2011; Itabaiana National Park, Itabaiana municipality, Sergipe Loebmann et al., 2006), and recently was also recorded State, Brazil (S 10º44.287’, W 037º23.189’, 250 m in the Cerrado biome, in the north of Minas Gerais State, a.s.l.). We used a digital caliper (precision of 0.01 mm) Brazil (Silveira and Valinhas, 2010). to record the following straight measurements: carapace Despite its wide distribution, the biology of M. length, width and height, plastron length and width, tuberculata is poorly known. Souza (2004) reported bridge length and head width (between tympanums). the lack of basic information about the biology of this Plastral formulae was determined by measurements of species in a review on the activity patterns, reproduction the intergular, humeral, pectoral, abdominal, femoral and feeding ecology of the Brazilian freshwater turtles and anal ventral scutes. We also used a digital caliper to (Testudines, Chelidae). It is known that the mating measure the distance of the suture of the ventral scutes, behavior of M. tuberculata in captivity was more except for the intergular scute, for which we measured frequently observed between January and July (Corazza the mid-line (see McCord et al., 2001). Turtle weight was obtained using a Pesola spring scale (precision of 0.3 g). The hatchling was measured, photographed, collected, fixed in 10% formalin and preserved in 70% alcohol, and deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the

1 Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal da Paraíba (CHUFPB 13270), (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade João Pessoa municipality, Paraíba State, Brazil. Universitária, CEP 58059-900, João Pessoa – PB Brasil; The specimen captured presents morphological 2 Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear aspects and a color pattern that greatly differs from na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, CEP 13416-000, adults. The egg caruncle was absent and the umbilical Piracicaba, Brasil; scar was small and shallow, indicating that the hatchling 3 Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, was probably only a few weeks old. The turtle had Universidade Federal de Sergipe. Cidade Universitária Prof. José Aloísio de Campos, CEP 49100-000. São Cristóvão, SE, a carapace length of 47.1 mm and the head width Brazil. measured 15.1 mm (representing 32 % of carapace * Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] length). The plastral formulae of the hatchling was: 408 Daniel Oliveira Santana et al.

Figure 1. A) Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata and B) the pond where it was recorded in the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana.

Figure 2. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) Ventral view; B) Dorsal view; C) Detail of the head dorsal surface; D) Detail of the tympanum in head side view. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana. Hatchling morphology of the Tuberculate Toadhead Turtle from northeastern Brazil 409

femoral > humeral > abdominal > intergular > pectoral > anal (Table 1). The carapace of the hatchling was oval with a maximum width measurement of 35.7 mm. In the carapace, there was a poorly developed median keel on the second, third and fourth vertebral scutes. The color of the carapace was dark brown, with grey and black spots, and an orange border (Figure 2). The dorsal surface of the head was covered by brownish shields of different sizes. The tympanum was whitish, mottled with pale gray and orange coloration (Figure 2). The ventral surface of the head and neck was covered by small rounded shields. The throat and neck were whitish, slightly and irregularly mottled with grayish and orange spots. Two small barbels were attached to the chin. The plastron was mostly orange with a wide central black symmetrical patch, extending from the humeral to the femoral, and pointing over the intergular scute. Orange was the predominant color on the plastron bridges and ventral surfaces of the marginal scutes. The Figure 3. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the forelimbs and hind limbs were similar to those of adults, municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) Detail of but with some orange spots in arms, thighs, legs, and tip the head ventral surface; B) Detail of the hind limbs and tail of the tail (Figure 3). with some orange spots. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana. Previous descriptions are not available for any hatchling of M. tuberculata, neither for captivity nor for wild individuals. The hatchling1 described herein represents the first detailed description of the morphology and  color pattern of a hatchling of M. tuberculata, and also represents a new record for the minimum carapace 1 Table 1. Morphological measurements of Mesoclemmys tuberculata hatchling Table 1. Morphological measurements of Mesoclemmys length of M. tuberculata (47.1 mm). Likewise, Ferronato 2 tuberculata(CHUFPB hatchling 13270) from (CHUFPB the buffer 13270) zone from of Serrathe buffer de Itabaiana zone et National al. (2010) Park, described in the the hatchling morphology of the of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of congener turtle in the Amazon 3 municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil, with proportions in relation to the Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil, with proportions in relation to basin, describing a minimum carapace length of 53.8 the length of the carapace (% CL). 4 length of the carapace (% CL). mm for that species. Moreover, the absence of museum records of hatchlings of M. tuberculata and the lack of Morphological traits mm % CL basic information about its biology and natural history, Carapace length* 47.1 — emphasizes the need of more detailed ecological Carapace width* 35.7 0.75 investigations of the early life stages of this species. Plastron length* 42.8 0.90 Plastron width* 28.9 0.61 Carapace height* 14.7 0.31 Acknowledgments. We thank the collaboration of the managers Bridge length* 11.1 0.23 of the Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana (PNSI) and to the people Head width* 15.1 0.32 of Parque dos Falcões in the buffer zones of PNSI. Special thanks Carapace width/Head width* 3.11 — to José Percílio, Alexandre Correia, Clenilton Andrade (Keninho) Intergular ventral scute** 6.5 0.13 and Alcina Maria Mendonça Costa for their help in the collection Humeral ventral scute** 7.2 0.15 of the specimen. To Mr. João Oliveira Santana, Helon Simões Pectoral ventral scute** 5.8 0.12 Oliveira and Dayvid Bruno dos Santos for their help in field Abdominal ventral scute** 7.0 0.14 activities, and to The Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Femoral ventral scute** 8.4 0.17 Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the fellowships granted to authors. The collection permit was granted by Instituto Chico Anal ventral scute** 5.5 0.11 Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade – ICMBio (permit # Weight (g) 14 — 38724-1). Thiago S. Marques is supported by a fellowship from 5 * All the measurements (mm) listed in the table refer to straight measures. 6 ** Sutures distances, except for intergular scute. São Paulo Science Foundation (FAPESP). 7 8

9 Figure 1. A) Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata and B) the pond where it was

10 recorded in the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of

11 Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana.

12

13 Figure 2. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de

14 Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) 410 Daniel Oliveira Santana et al.

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Accepted by Vinicius Caldart