Spotted turtle  (Clemmys guttata)

Authentication

Authenticated (29/02/2008) by Dr. Jacqueline Litzgus, Assistant professor, Laurentian University, Ontario.
http://biology.laurentian.ca/Laurentian/Home/Departments/Biology/Faculty_and_Staff/Professors/litzgus/litzgus.htm

Glossary

  • Aestivation: period of dormancy occurring in hot, dry periods, analogous to hibernation in winter.
  • Carrion: the flesh of a dead animal.
  • Crustaceans: diverse group of arthropods (a phylum of animals with jointed limbs and a hard chitinous exoskeleton) characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae, one pair of mandibles (parts of the mouthparts used for handling and processing food) and two pairs of maxillae (appendages used in eating, which are located behind the mandibles). Includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps, slaters, woodlice and barnacles.
  • Hibernation: a winter survival strategy characteristic of some mammals in which an animal’s metabolic rate slows down and a state of deep sleep is attained. Whilst hibernating, animals survive on stored reserves of fat that they have accumulated in summer. In insects, the correct term for hibernation is ‘diapause’, a temporary pause in development and growth. Any stage of the lifecycle (eggs, larvae, pupae or adults) may enter diapause, which is typically associated with winter.
  • Inbreeding: the breeding of closely related individuals. An inbred population usually has less genetic variability and this is generally disadvantageous for its long-term survival and success.
  • Larval: of the stage in an animal’s lifecycle after it hatches from the egg. Larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce.
  • Scute: One of the large keratinous scales on the carapace (the top shell of a turtle or tortoise).

References

  1. IUCN Red List (February, 2008)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org
  2. Litzgus, J.D. (2004) Status Report on the Spotted Turtle, Clemmys guttata.Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON. Available at: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/CW69-14-382-2004E.pdf
  3. Ernst, C., Lovich, J. and Barbour, R. (1994) Turtles of the United States and Canada.Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
  4. Centre for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management: Spotted Turtle Fact Sheet (November, 2006)
    http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu/outreach/accounts/reptiles/turtles/Spotted_turtle/SpottedTurtleFactSheet.pdf
  5. Ernst, C.H., Altenburg, R.G.M. and Barbour, R.W. (1997) Turtles of the World.ETI Information Systems Ltd, Netherlands. Available at: http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/BIS/turtles.php
  6. Trent University Biology Department: Kawartha Turtle Watch (February, 2008)
    http://web.archive.org/web/20050221234448/www.trentu.ca/biology/turtlewatch/Spotted.htm
  7. Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network (February, 2008)
    http://www.carcnet.ca/english/reptiles/species_accounts/turtles/Clemmys/clemmys2.html
  8. Litzgus, J.D. and Mousseau, T.A. (2003) Multiple clutching in southern spotted turtles, Clemmys guttata. Journal of Herpetology, 37 (1): 17 - 23.
  9. Litzgus, J.D. and Brooks, R.J. (2000) Habitat and temperature selection of Clemmys guttata from a northern population. Journal of Herpetology, 34 (2): 178 - 185.
  10. Litzgus, J.D. (2006) Sex differences in longevity in the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata). Copeia, 2006 (2): 281 - 288.
  11. Harding, J. (1997) Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region.University of Michigan Press, Michigan.
  12. Burke, V.J., Lovich, J.E. and Gibbons, J.W. (2000) Conservation of freshwater turtles. In: Klemens, M.K. (Ed) Turtle Conservation.Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
left