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).

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.

scholarly journals Revisiting the hypothesis of sex-biased turtle road mortality

2019 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Carstairs ◽  
Marc Dupuis-Desormeaux ◽  
Christina M. Davy
Keyword(s):  
Trauma Centre ◽  
Road Mortality ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Painted Turtles ◽  
Snapping Turtles ◽  
Turtle Conservation ◽  
Map Turtles ◽  
Graptemys Geographica ◽  
Using Data

Road mortality poses a major threat to turtle populations. Several studies have suggested that the terrestrial movements associated with nesting increase this risk for females. The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) is home to the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre, which admits 900 or more turtles a year, with road injuries the primary cause of admission. We tested the hypothesis that road mortality in turtles is female-biased using data from injured Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata), Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina), Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), and Northern Map Turtles (Graptemys geographica) collected over about 126 000 km2 and admitted to OTCC’s hospital from January 2013 to October 2017. There was no difference in the number of male and female admissions of Midland Painted, Blanding’s, or Snapping Turtles (P > 0.05); however, more female Northern Map Turtles than males were admitted (P < 0.001). Admission of female turtles peaked in June during the nesting season, but male admissions were more evenly distributed throughout the season. Our admissions data provide a temporally unbiased and geographically broad snapshot of turtle–vehicle interactions that can directly inform conservation and management policies. Although our data are not equivalent to mortality rates, these results demonstrate that vehicle strikes can have a substantial impact on both female and male turtles.

Compass Orientation During Dispersal of Freshwater Hatchling Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)

Ethology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 538-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin D. Congdon ◽  
Michael J. Pappas ◽  
John D. Krenz ◽  
Bruce J. Brecke ◽  
Meredith Schlenner
Keyword(s):  
Chelydra Serpentina ◽  
Compass Orientation ◽  
Emydoidea Blandingii ◽  
Snapping Turtles

scholarly journals Cold-acclimation induces life stage-specific responses in the cardiac proteome of Western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii): implications for anoxia tolerance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Alderman ◽  
Claire L. Riggs ◽  
Oliver Bullingham ◽  
Todd E. Gillis ◽  
Daniel E. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Protein Expression ◽  
Cold Acclimation ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Heart Function ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Anoxia Tolerance ◽  
Painted Turtles ◽  
Chrysemys Picta Bellii ◽  
Induced Changes

AbstractWestern painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) are the most anoxia-tolerant tetrapod. Survival time improves at low temperature and during ontogeny, such that adults acclimated to 3°C survive far longer without oxygen than either warm-acclimated adults or cold-acclimated hatchlings. Since protein synthesis is rapidly suppressed to save energy at the onset of anoxia exposure, this study tested the hypothesis that cold-acclimation would evoke preparatory changes in protein expression that would support enhanced anoxia survival in adult but not hatchling turtles. To test this, adult and hatchling turtles were acclimated to either 20°C (warm) or 3°C (cold) for 5 weeks, and then the heart ventricles were collected for quantitative proteomic analysis using labeled isobaric tags and mass spectrometry. The relative abundances of 1316 identified proteins were compared between temperatures and developmental stages. The effect of cold-acclimation on the cardiac proteome was most evident when life stage was included as a covariable, suggesting that ontogenic differences in anoxia tolerance may be predicated on successful maturation of the heart from its hatchling to adult form and, only after this maturation occurs, will cold-acclimation induce protein expression changes appropriate for supporting heart function during prolonged anoxia. The main differences between the hatchling and adult cardiac proteomes reflect an increase in metabolic scope that included more myoglobin and increased investment in both aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Mitochondrial structure and function were key targets of life stage- and temperature-induced changes to the cardiac proteome, including reduced complex II proteins in cold-acclimated adults that may help down-regulate the electron transport system and avoid succinate accumulation during anoxia. Therefore, targeted cold-induced changes to the cardiac proteome may be a contributing mechanism for stagespecific anoxia tolerance in turtles.

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.

scholarly journals Cold-acclimation induces life stage-specific responses in the cardiac proteome of Western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii): implications for anoxia tolerance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Alderman ◽  
Claire L. Riggs ◽  
Oliver M.N. Bullingham ◽  
Todd E. Gillis ◽  
Daniel E. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Cold Acclimation ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Anoxia Tolerance ◽  
Painted Turtles ◽  
Chrysemys Picta Bellii ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
And Function ◽  
Induced Changes

Western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) are the most anoxia-tolerant tetrapod. Survival time improves at low temperature and during ontogeny, such that adults acclimated to 3oC survive far longer without oxygen than either warm-acclimated adults or cold-acclimated hatchlings. Since protein synthesis is rapidly suppressed to save energy at the onset of anoxia exposure, this study tested the hypothesis that cold-acclimation would evoke preparatory changes in protein expression to support enhanced anoxia survival in adult but not hatchling turtles. To test this, adult and hatchling turtles were acclimated to either 20oC (warm) or 3oC (cold) for 5 weeks, and then the heart ventricles were collected for quantitative proteomic analysis. The relative abundances of 1316 identified proteins were compared between temperatures and developmental stages. The effect of cold-acclimation on the cardiac proteome was only evident in the context of an interaction with life stage, suggesting that ontogenic differences in anoxia tolerance may be predicated on successful maturation of the heart. The main differences between the hatchling and adult cardiac proteomes reflect an increase in metabolic scope with age that included more myoglobin and increased investment in both aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways. Mitochondrial structure and function were key targets of the life stage- and temperature-induced changes to the cardiac proteome, including reduced complex II proteins in cold-acclimated adults that may help down-regulate the electron transport system and avoid succinate accumulation during anoxia. Therefore, targeted cold-induced changes to the cardiac proteome may be a contributing mechanism for stage-specific anoxia tolerance in turtles.

Temporal Variation in Growth Rate and Age at Maturity of Male Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta

1993 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nat B. Frazer ◽  
Judith L. Greene ◽  
J. Whitfield Gibbons
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Chrysemys Picta ◽  
Age At Maturity ◽  
Painted Turtles
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