\RTICLES ;) Ltntl Biultt,qt'. 1997. l(-l ):jl9--1-17 : i, rrtiirn Rcsc-nrch Foullcllti()lt A New Species of Mud Turtle (Genus Kirtosternon) from Jalisco and Colima, Mexico, with Notes on Its Natural History hvrBs F. Bnnnvr, Mrcu-rel E. Snmnr,2, ano Jorn B. IvnnsoN3 tDepurtment of Biologt', Elmhurst College, Elnilrrst. Illinois 60126 IJSA IFcrt: 630-617-3735; E-mail: [email protected]]; 2Department tf Biologic'ul Sciences, Mur.rlull Uuiversin', Huttfingtott, West Virginiu 2570t USA; 3Departnrent of Biologt', Earlham College, Ricltntontl, hrclianu 47374 USA Assrnlcr. - The Jalisco mudturtle,Kinosternon chimalhuaca,sp.nov. (Cryptodiral Kinosternidae), is described from the Rio Cihuatldn to the Rfo San Nicolas basins in Pacific coastal Jalisco and Colima, Mexico. It is a member of the K. scorpioides complex, and differs from other Kilrcstenton species in its reduced plastron, narrow bridge, axillary and inguinal scutes always in contact, and narrow first vertebral scute. It occurs in a variety ofaquatic habitats, and is an opportunistic feeder. Females reach sexual maturity at a carapace length of 97-107 mm (7-8 yrs), and males at about 100 mm (5-7 yrs). Females collected in early May and late June had maturing ovarian follicles but no oviductal eggs or fresh corpora lutea, suggesting that eggs are laid in July or August. Average clutch size is 3-4. Kinosternon chimalhuaca is most closely related to K. integrum and K, oaxacae based on both phylogenetic and phenetic analyses of morphological characters, and probably represents a derivative of an integrum-like ancestor that was isolated along the southwestern \Iexican coast. Knv Wonos. - Reptilia; Testudines; Kinosternidael Kinostenton chimalhuaco. sp. nov.l turtlel systematics; distribution; ecologyl Jalisco; Colima; Mexico The past several years have brought increasing clarity to draina-ees north of the IsthniLl: of Te hLlantepec Are inhirl.'ited the previously confused and misunderstood systematics of by K. irtegrtl/n, while driiinages tl-onr the isthnrLls solrthu arcl the mud turtles (Berry, of the -eenus Kinosternon in Mexico are populated by K. .\('ot'pioide.s (Berr1,. I 978: Iversolt. 197 8; Conant and Berry, 1978; Iverson, 197 8a, I 9J9., I 98 I , t992). 1988a; Iverson and Berry, 1979; Berry and lverson, I 980; Dr"rring the course of r)Llr anal\ ses of vzu'iation and Berry and Le-gler, 1980; Berry and Berry, 1984). Amon_e the systematics tn Kinctstenton. \\ e har e iclentified vet allother most variable (and taxonornically troubling) are the mem- Llndescribed member of the K. \cot'l)ioitlt,, SL-ecie: cc'r11plr.\ ' bers of the K. scor'ltioicles species complex, which occupy which occupies al1 isolated p-rLuli1r11 ()l \ Iet isi:it -, ,,1r-, lowland areas thror,rghout most of Mexico, as well as many lowlands in the states of Jalisco and C,.,linr.r. \\'c irar c draina..ees on the central Mexican plateau (Berry, 1918: referred to this undescribed population else \\ here (Bemr'. Iverson and Berry, 1979; Iverson, 198 I , 1992). The six l9l8; Iverson, I 986, 1988b. I 991 . 1992 ). and at this tinre we currently reco-enized species within the K. scorpioicles com- provide a formal description of this new species. plex (acutttnt, olontosoe. creoseri, integrunt, oct.\ocoe, and scorpioicles) lack the kerattnrzed patches of opposed scales MATERIALS AND METHODS on the posterior thigh and leg ("claspin.-e organs") that charactenze most other Kinosternon (Le-qler,, 1965; Berry, Measurements of turtles were made using the methods 1978; Berry and Legler, 1980; Berry and lverson, 1980; outlined by Carr ( 1952) and described in de tail by Iverson Iverson, 198I, I988b, 199l). (1917)., Berry (197 8), and Berry and Legler ( 1980). Charac- In lowland regions of western Mexico, the distribution ter abbreviations ale: CL (carapace length), CW (carapace of ti'eshwater turtles is determined lar-eely by the proximity width at level of mar-einal scutes 5-6), AHW (width of to the Pacific Ocean of the rnollntains and foothills that form anterior plastral lobe at anterior hinge), PHW (wiclth of the Sierra Madre Occidentdl. The occurrence of relatively posterior plastral lobe at posterior hinge); BRL (len-eth of isolated stretches of coastal lowlands has served to isolate brid,*ee), HL (length of plastral hindlobe); FEL (length of aqllatic turtle poplrlations and promote geographical varia- interfernoral scute seam). AIC (axillary-ingLlinal contact, + tion (lverson, 1986, 1989). In the course of our str"rdies of or -). M2C (contact between second mar._einal scute and first Mexican Kinosrenlon, we have collected and exanlined vertebral (central) scute. + or-). V l-V5 (vertebral scutes l- specimens fiom virtually every drainage systent itr \\ estern 5), and M l-M I I (mar-einal scutes l-l I ). Mexico. We have previously described two mentber\ r)f the Collection of live specimens in the field was with turtle K. scorpioicles complex that occllr in Pacific lou lattrls: K. traps baited with sardines (Moll and Legler. 197 1), or by alamosoe in Sonora (Berry and Le..9ler, I 980) and K. r ,,t.\'(tc(te hand. Standard museum acronyms (Leviton et al.., 1985) are in Oaxaca (Berry and Iverson, 1980). Many of the renruittitts used in this paper; additional personal collection acronyms 330 CueloNrrx CoNSERVATToN AND BroLoGy, Volume 2, Number 3 - 199- Fp-t l. ):r-J. r'entral, andlateral headphotographs ofKinostemonchirnalhuaca.sp. nor'. Left column: CM 140201 d, holotype; right ctu :}i :3:':01 ?, allotype. Brnny E-r u* - \en' Kinosternon from Mexico 33r Figure 2. Head of live Kinosternon chimalhuaca, sp. nov., adult 6 from a pond 50 m south of Rio Purificaci6n, 4.0 km west of Mexico Highway 200, Jalisco (CM 15235). used are as follows: JFB = James F. Berry, JBI = John B. de Navidad, Jalisco, Mexico (19"15'N ,I04"43'S) on29 June Iverson, MES = Michael E. Seidel, and PCHP = Peter C.H. 1979 by James F. Berry and Michael E. Seidel (Fig. 1). Also Pritchard, Oviedo, FL. bearing atag "JFB I5245NU Field." AlloQpe. -CM L40202, whole, preserved adult female SYSTEMATICS (CL = L37.8 mm); collected same locality and date as Holotype (Fig. 1). Also bearing a tag "JFB I52T3NIJ Order: Testudines Field." Suborder: Cryptodira Paratopotypes CM L40203-140206 d d; CM Family: Kinosternidae 140207 -140210 ? I ; CM 14021 1 juv. (total of 9). Same Kinosternon chimalhu&ca, sp. nov. locality as holotype. Jalisco Mud Turtle Other ParaQp (Figs. I-2) imm. , I2Il7 juv.: Arroyo, El Arado, 3.4 mi W Hwy 80 on road to Purificaci6n, Jalisco; CM 140212-140213 6d, HoIoQpe. - CM 140201, whole, preserved adult male 140214-140215 I 9: Pond, 50 m S of Rio Purificaci6n,4.A (CL = 147 .5 mm); collected from a clear pond located 30 m kmWMex.Hwy 200,Ja1isco; UF 52662 ? ,52664 6:2.8 mi southeast of Mexico Highway 80, 1.9 km northeast of Barra E and 0.4 mi S Hwy 110, Rio Cihuatldn bridge, Colima; Table 1. Characters useful in distinguishing males of Kinosternon species in southern Pacific coastal Mexico. nCL AHWCW PHWCW BRL/CL FEL/HL AIC M.2C (mm) (Vo) (Vo) (7o) (vo) K. chimalhuaca Barra de Navidad - 37 r20.5 60.9 54.7 18.3 28.8 3t /37 3t37 Rfo Cihuatl6n (e8- rs7) (s6.e-6s.3) (s0.s-s7.6) (rs.3-20.6) (23.1-3s.8) (I00Vo) (8.17o) Rio Purificaci6n - 17 r21.8 59.0 54.r 19.0 33.1 t7 /17 3/17 Tomatl6n (e8- 146) (s4.6-66.1) (s 1.1-s4.r) (16.4-20.1) (2s.2-41.8) (I00Vo) (I7.6Vo) Combined 54 12t.0 60.3 54.5 18.6 30.8 54t54 6t54 (I00Vo) (11.IVo) K. integrum Rio Armefia - 48 r57.0 70.2 63.3 23.7 27.4 42t48 r9t48 Colima (104- rer) (se.8-t 6.e) (s6.7 -73.r) (r9.6-27 .4) (2r.4-3e.1) (8I.5Vo) (39.6Vo) Rio Ameca 10 133.8 75.0 64.1 24.2 20.6 8/10 9tr0 (r02-r12) (6e.3-81.5) (61.r-67 .0) (22.0-26.3) (t4.8-28.0) (80.0Vo) (90.07o) K. oaxacae 18 140.8 67.3 s5.9 22.4 30.8 18/18 17 /17 (e3-r7 s) (62.3-72.41 (54.0-s8.5) (r9.4-24.4) (23.6-39.0) (L00Vo) (I00Vo) K. scorpioides 24 122.0 16.6 67.0 29.8 7.4 t/24 19124 Rfo Tehuantepec ( 109- 133) (68.2-83.s t (63.4-7 3.1) (27.3-32.4) (0.0- 16.7) (4.2Vo) (79.2Vo) -l_r_ CuEloNtnN CoNSERVATIoN AND BIoLocv, Volunte - Tablc l. i- '. -..- : ...eflrl in distin_guishin-9 females of Kirrostenrort species in sottti.'- r' : ' - 1.1;rietr. CL AHW/CW PHW/CW BR._ . :L HL AIC M2C ( nrnr ) ('h) (Va) rl K. c'ltitrruIlutci,,: sl46 Barra de Nltr i.i.,.i - -16 107.0 63.3 59. I -' 30.2 46t46 ( Rfo Ciltuatl.irr (ee- I le) (s7 .3-69.0) (54.2-61.0 t I _-__: t I I .8-37.9) (100c/o) 10.97a) Rio Pr-rrificaciun - I I 110.7 64.0 59.1 ::: 30.s nln 2lll ( ( Tomatliin (t02-t27) (61.t-66.6) (58.6-6 I 7 r ,Ii5-li.-tr (21 .4-34.s) 100%) l8.21o) Conrbined s7 108.t 63.5 59.3 I r.6 30.3 51157 7157 (100c/o) ( 12.37o) K. irrtegrutn Rfo Annerfa - 54 t3t.2 12.0 6'+."1 25.2 25.3 45ts4 33154 Colinra (r0r-r60) (66.0-80.2) (s8.3-7 1.9) (20.0-28.8) (t s .7 -31 .2) (83 .3Vc) (6 I .