Demography of Aquatic Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata and Chelydra serpentina serpentina) in Southwestern Pennsylvania

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Hughes ◽  
Walter E. Meshaka
Keyword(s):  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Southwestern Pennsylvania

scholarly journals Over-wintering Characteristics of West-Central Wisconsin Blanding's Turtles, Emydoidea blandingii

2010 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Thiel ◽  
Timothy T. Wilder
Keyword(s):  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Anoxia Tolerance ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Anoxic Conditions ◽  
Painted Turtles ◽  
West Central ◽  
Remarkable Degree ◽  
Snapping Turtles

Hibernation of adult-sized Blanding's Turtles was studied at two west-central Wisconsin sites between 1991 and 2008. Turtles arrived at hibernacula from mid September to early October, spending 126 to 216 days at these sites, and generally emerged in early April yearly. Sixty percent of females and 30 percent of males hibernated in natural over man-made structures as hibernation sites. Anoxic conditions near five hibernation sites ranged from 78 to 100 days. Shell temperatures of three turtles monitored over five winters remained at <1°C a mean of 2,274 hours each winter. Over the same period, four turtles' temperatures were between 0° and -1°C a mean of 302 hours. During the course of our study, hibernating west-central Wisconsin Blanding's Turtles demonstrated a remarkable degree of both cold and anoxia-tolerance similar to that observed among Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) and Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina).

Prevalence and intensity of Haemogregarina balli (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Haemogregarinidae) in three turtle species from Ontario, with observations on intraerythrocytic development

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark E. Siddall ◽  
Sherwin S. Desser
Keyword(s):  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Intensity Data ◽  
Lower Prevalence ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
Independent Evidence ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
History Of ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Qualitative Changes

Free-ranging populations of turtles, Chelydra serpentina serpentina, Chrysemys picta marginata, and Clemmys insculpta, were examined for prevalence and intensity of Haemogregarina balli during the summers of 1989 and 1990 in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Prevalence data indicated that C. s. serpentina was the primary intermediate host. The lower prevalence in C. p. marginata and C. insculpta is attributed in part to the relatively smaller surface area available for the attachment and bite of the definitive host, Placobdella ornata. Intensities of bloodstream stages in C. p. marginata and C. insculpta were rarely greater than 1 in 104 erythrocytes. The intensity in C. s. serpentina ranged from 0.5 to 30.0 in 103 erythrocytes. Intensity data for C. s. serpentina demonstrated quantitative and qualitative changes in parasitaemia in 2-week intervals in 1990. It is suggested that the biology of P. ornata is an important influence in these changes. Microscopic and statistical analysis provided independent evidence for binary fission of merozoites in the life history of H. balli.

scholarly journals Leech (Annelida: Hirudinea) Infestations on Canadian Turtles, Including the First Canadian Record of Helobdella modesta from Freshwater Turtles

2009 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Davy ◽  
Kum C. Shim ◽  
Suzanne M. Coombes
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Clemmys Guttata ◽  
Sternotherus Odoratus

We collected leeches from freshwater turtles at two sites in southwestern Ontario. Five leech species (Placobdella parasitica, P. ornata, Helobdella modesta, Erpobdella punctata and Alboglossiphonia heteroclita) were collected from five turtle species (Chrysemys picta, Chelydra serpentina, Clemmys guttata, Emydoidea blandingii and Sternotherus odoratus). We report a new leech record (P. ornata) for C. guttata. The unexpectedly high frequency of H. modesta on freshwater turtles is discussed.

Testing the Precision and Accuracy of Age Estimation Using Lines in Scutes of Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald J. Brooks ◽  
Margaret A. Krawchuk ◽  
Cameron Stevens ◽  
Nicola Koper
Keyword(s):  
Age Estimation ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Precision And Accuracy

The life cycle of Trypanosoma chrysemydis

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1139-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. K. Woo
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Vertebrate Host ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Infective Stage ◽  
Graptemys Geographica

Trypanosoma chrysemydis of Chrysemys picta marginata reached the infective stage in 22 days in the crop and caeca of Placobdella parasitica and P. rugosa kept at 22–24 °C; this period was shortened to 14 days at 31 °C. Metacyclic stages were found in the crop. Leeches deprived of food for prolonged periods lost infections. Metacyclic forms reverted to epimastigotes and started to divide in leeches given a second blood meal. Leeches in nature probably retain infections throughout their lives if they get regular blood meals.Painted (Chrysemys picta marginata), snapping (Chelydra serpentina), and map (Graptemys geographica) turtles were infected by inoculation of metacyclic forms from leeches or cultures, and by bites of infected leeches. Turtles that ate infected leeches did not become infected. Amphibians could not be infected. The number of trypanosomes in the peripheral blood of naturally infected turtles was always low and only low parasitaemias were found in experimentally infected turtles, apparently because this trypanosome rarely divides in the vertebrate host.

Seasonal changes in physiology and development of cold hardiness in the hatchling painted turtle Chrysemys picta

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (22) ◽  
pp. 3459-3470 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Costanzo ◽  
J.D. Litzgus ◽  
J.B. Iverson ◽  
R.E. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Cold Hardiness ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Ice Nuclei ◽  
Mean Temperature ◽  
Inoculative Freezing ◽  
Freeze Tolerant ◽  
Cold Hardy

Hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) commonly hibernate in shallow, natal nests where winter temperatures may fall below −10 degrees C. Although hatchlings are moderately freeze-tolerant, they apparently rely on supercooling to survive exposure to severe cold. We investigated seasonal changes in physiology and in the development of supercooling capacity and resistance to inoculative freezing in hatchling Chrysemys picta exposed in the laboratory to temperatures that decreased from 22 to 4 degrees C over a 5.5 month period. For comparison, we also studied hatchling snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), a less cold-hardy species that usually overwinters under water. Although Chrysemys picta and Chelydra serpentina differed in some physiological responses, both species lost dry mass, catabolized lipid and tended to gain body water during the acclimation regimen. Recently hatched, 22 degrees C-acclimated Chrysemys picta supercooled only modestly (mean temperature of crystallization −6.3+/−0.2 degrees C; N=6) and were susceptible to inoculation by ice nuclei in a frozen substratum (mean temperature of crystallization −1.1+/−0.1 degrees C; N=6) (means +/− s.e.m.). In contrast, cold-acclimated turtles exhibited pronounced capacities for supercooling and resistance to inoculative freezing. The development of cold hardiness reflected the elimination or deactivation of potent endogenous ice nuclei and an elevation of blood osmolality that was due primarily to the retention of urea, but was not associated with accumulation of the polyols, sugars or amino acids commonly found in the cryoprotection systems of other animals. Also, Chrysemys picta (and Chelydra serpentina) lacked both antifreeze proteins and ice-nucleating proteins, which are used by some animals to promote supercooling and to initiate freezing at the high temperatures conducive to freezing survival, respectively.

scholarly journals Diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

2016 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick D. Moldowan ◽  
Matthew G. Keevil ◽  
Peter B. Mills ◽  
Ronald J. Brooks ◽  
Jacqueline D. Litzgus
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Ephemeral Ponds ◽  
Amphibian Larvae ◽  
Painted Turtles ◽  
Snapping Turtles ◽  
Odonate Larvae ◽  
Provincial Park

We compare diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. We observed young Chelydra and Chrysemys turtles feeding on insect and amphibian larvae in ephemeral ponds, adult Chrysemys terrestrially foraging on odonate larvae, and adult Chelydra consuming aquatic vegetation and seeds. These and other observations highlight the importance of seasonally available habitat and food for juvenile turtles. We also discuss the evidence for, and importance of, turtles as seed-dispersal agents for aquatic vegetation. Illustrative video recordings accompany our dietary observations.

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