Morphological and molecular evidence indicates that the Gulf Coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is not a distinct evolutionary lineage in the Florida Panhandle

Four extant subspecies of Terrapene carolina in eastern North America, Terrapene carolina bauri, Terrapene carolina carolina, Terrapene carolina triunguis, and Terrapene carolina major, are recognized based on morphological studies. A fifth subspecies, Terrapene carolina putnami, has been described from Pleistocene deposits but is very similar morphologically to T. c. major. Questions concerning the relationship of the Gulf Coast box turtle (T. c. major) to other box turtles have been pervasive ever since it was described. We used a combined morphological and genetic analysis to address the status of T. c. major and other T. carolina lineages. Terrapene c. bauri, T. c. carolina, and T. c. triunguis are distinct based on a discriminate function analysis of 25 morphological characters, including characters traditionally used to assign subspecies. The results of the present study confirm that box turtles phenotypically diagnosed as T. c. bauri, T. c. carolina, and T. c. triunguis all occur within the hypothesized range of T. c. major, and that the latter does not possess a diagnosable morphology. The three morphological lineages also possess divergent mitochondrial haplotypes that are present within the hypothesized range of T. c. major. In addition, a fourth distinct mtDNA lineage co‐occurs within the putative range of T. c. major. This unique lineage may include mitochondrial DNA variation from the Pleistocene T. c. putnami. Analysis of nine nuclear DNA microsatellites revealed no population structure in box turtles currently assigned to T. c. major from the Florida Panhandle, suggesting a complete admixture of lineages in this region. The results of the present study indicate that box turtles traditionally assigned to T. c. major based on phenotype are the result of introgression between eastern extant (predominantly T. c. carolina) and an extinct subspecies, T. c. putnami. Published 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 889–901.     

Patterns of growth and sexual size dimorphism in two species of box turtles with environmental sex determination

An adaptive explanation for environmental sex determination is that it promotes sexual size dimorphism when larger size benefits one sex more than the other. That is, if growth rates are determined by environment during development, then it is beneficial to match developmental environment to the sex that benefits more from larger size. However, larger size may also be a consequence of larger size at hatching or growing for a longer time, i.e., delayed age at first reproduction. Therefore, the adaptive significance of sexual size dimorphism and environmental sex determination can only be interpreted within the context of both growth and maturation. In addition, in those animals that continue to grow after maturation, sexual size dimorphism at age of first reproduction could differ from sexual size dimorphism at later ages as growth competes for energy with reproduction and maintenance. I compared growth using annuli on carapace scales in two species of box turtles (Terrapene carolina and T. ornata) that have similar patterns of environmental sex determination but, reportedly, have different patterns of sexual size dimorphism. In the populations I studied, sexual size dimorphism was in the same direction in both species; adult females were, on average, larger than adult males. This was due in part to males maturing earlier and therefore at smaller sizes than females. In spite of similar patterns of environmental sex determination, patterns of growth differed between the species. In T. carolina, males grew faster than females as juveniles but females had the larger asymptotic size. In T. ornata, males and females grew at similar rates and had similar asymptotic sizes. Sexual size dimorphism was greatest at maturation because, although males matured younger and smaller, they grew more as adults. There was, therefore, no consistent pattern of faster growth for females that may be ascribed to developmental temperature. Received: 20 March 1996 / Accepted: 10 March 1998     

Identifying Hot Moments in Road-Mortality Risk for Freshwater Turtles

ABSTRACT Risk assessments can be used to identify threats, which vary both in space and time, to declining species. Just as hot spots describe locations where threat processes operate at a higher rate than in surrounding areas, hot moments refer to periods when threat rates are highest. However, the identification of hot moments can be challenging because the temporal complexity of some threat processes makes their effects on population viability difficult to predict. Declining throughout much of their range, Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) populations are potentially most vulnerable to road mortality where road densities and traffic volumes are high. The temporal variations in road-mortality risk faced by these and other semiaquatic turtles at the population level are a consequence of several factors, including sex-specific movement characteristics and seasonal changes in traffic volume. We examined these risk factors for Blanding's turtle populations in Maine, USA, by integrating temporally explicit roadkill probabilities with demographic parameters informed by local and range-wide studies. Specifically, we used population simulations to estimate the relative risk for 14 2-week periods during the turtles’ active season. Our analysis clearly identified early summer as a period of elevated risk, with June through mid-July signaling a road-mortality hot moment for Blanding's turtles (for both M and F). These findings provide guidance for the implementation of temporally explicit conservation measures such as cautionary road signage, traffic management, and public outreach that, if timed strategically, could help to mitigate population impacts from road mortality.     

Predicting Hot Spots of Herpetofauna Road Mortality Along Highway Networks

ABSTRACT Road mortality is often spatially aggregated, and there is a need for models that accurately and efficiently predict hot spots within a road network for mitigation. We surveyed 145 points throughout a 353-km highway network in New York State, USA, for roadkill of reptiles and amphibians. We used land cover, wetland configuration, and traffic volume data to identify features that best predicted hot spots of herpetofauna road mortality. We resampled 40 points an additional 4 times over 4 years to evaluate temporal repeatability. Both amphibian and reptile road mortality were spatially clustered, and road-kill hot spots of the 2 taxa overlapped. One survey provided a valid snapshot of spatial patterns of road mortality, and spatial patterns remained stable across time. Road-kill hot spots were located where wetlands approached within 100 m of the road, and the best predictor was a causeway configuration of wetlands (wetlands on both sides of the road). We validated causeways as predictors of road mortality by surveying 180 causeways and 180 random points across 5 regions (17,823 km²) of northeastern New York. Causeways were 3 times more likely than random locations to have amphibian and 12 times more likely to have reptile mortality present, and causeways had a 4 times higher total number of amphibian roadkill and 9 times higher reptile roadkill than did random points. We conclude it is possible to identify valid predictors of hot spots of amphibian and reptile road mortality for use when planning roads or when conducting surveys on existing roads to locate priority areas for mitigation.     

Thermal Reaction Norms and the Scale of Temperature Variation: Latitudinal Vulnerability of Intertidal Nacellid Limpets to Climate Change

The thermal reaction norms of 4 closely related intertidal Nacellid limpets, Antarctic (Nacella concinna), New Zealand (Cellana ornata), Australia (C. tramoserica) and Singapore (C. radiata), were compared across environments with different temperature magnitude, variability and predictability, to test their relative vulnerability to different scales of climate warming. Lethal limits were measured alongside a newly developed metric of “duration tenacity”, which was tested at different temperatures to calculate the thermal reaction norm of limpet adductor muscle fatigue. Except in C. tramoserica which had a wide optimum range with two break points, duration tenacity did not follow a typical aerobic capacity curve but was best described by a single break point at an optimum temperature. Thermal reaction norms were shifted to warmer temperatures in warmer environments; the optimum temperature for tenacity (T_opt) increased from 1.0°C (N. concinna) to 14.3°C (C. ornata) to 18.0°C (an average for the optimum range of C. tramoserica) to 27.6°C (C. radiata). The temperature limits for duration tenacity of the 4 species were most consistently correlated with both maximum sea surface temperature and summer maximum in situ habitat logger temperature. Tropical C. radiata, which lives in the least variable and most predictable environment, generally had the lowest warming tolerance and thermal safety margin (WT and TSM; respectively the thermal buffer of CT_max and T_opt over habitat temperature). However, the two temperate species, C. ornata and C. tramoserica, which live in a variable and seasonally unpredictable microhabitat, had the lowest TSM relative to in situ logger temperature. N. concinna which lives in the most variable, but seasonally predictable microhabitat, generally had the highest TSMs. Intertidal animals live at the highly variable interface between terrestrial and marine biomes and even small changes in the magnitude and predictability of their environment could markedly influence their future distributions.     

Abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods of pest management importance in commercial Bt and non-Bt cotton fields

The modified population dynamics of pests targeted by the Cry1Ac toxin in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic cotton (Bt cotton) and possible reduced insecticide use in these transgenic varieties may exert a variety of effects on ground‐dwelling predator communities. A survey of ground‐dwelling arthropods was carried out weekly each of 3 years (during the cropping season) in commercial Bt and non‐Bt cotton fields. Sixty‐five taxa of ground‐dwelling arthropods (carabids, cicindelines, staphylinids, dermapterans, heteropterans and araneids) of importance for cotton pest management were recorded in the survey. Species abundance and dynamics across seasons were evaluated with univariate analysis of variance for higher taxa or multivariate principal response curve analysis for the whole community of 65 taxa. Diversity and richness indices and cumulative species curves also were calculated. The analyses demonstrated no differences in the ground‐dwelling arthropod communities between cotton types. One araneid species, Pardosa pauxilla, comprised ～80% of all araneids, Labidura riparia comprised ～96% of all dermapterans, Megacephala carolina comprised ～97% of cicindelines and four carabid species (Selenophorus palliatus, Apristus latens, Harpalus gravis and Anisodactylus merula) comprised ～80% of carabid species. M. carolina outnumbered all other collected species in each of the 3 years. When only predatory carabid species were considered, A. merula, Calosoma sayi, Harpalus pennsylvanicus and Stenolophus ochropezus were predominant and numbers trapped were similar between cotton types. The abundance of dermapterans, staphylinids, araneids and heteropterans varied among sample dates and across seasons but did not differ between cotton types. The frequent capture of M. carolina, S. palliatus and P. pauxilla in all fields and seasons in both cottons suggests that these species may be important for monitoring further changes in local communities as result of agricultural practices.     

Effects of Relocation on Movements and Home Ranges of Eastern Box Turtles

Abstract: To examine effects of relocation on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina), we compared home ranges and movement patterns of 10 resident and 10 relocated box turtles in Davidson, North Carolina, USA. Home ranges of relocated turtles were approximately 3 times larger than those of resident turtles when measured by minimum convex polygons, 6 times larger than resident turtles when measured with 95% kernels and 7.5 times larger than resident turtles when measured by 50% kernels. Relocated turtles also moved a greater average distance per day than resident turtles. Additionally, 5 relocated turtles experienced mortality or disappearance compared to no mortality or disappearance of resident turtles. Our results raise questions about the success of relocation as a management strategy for eastern box turtles. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):772–777; 2008)     

Sound Production in Codoma ornata (Girard) (Cyprinidae)

Male Codoma ornata produce sounds associated with aggression and spawning activities during the breeding season. Females do not produce sounds. Males most often produced sounds associated with escalated displays of aggression, courtship and the spawning act. C. ornata spawn in crevices, but previously were reported to spawn as egg-clusterers in cavities. Structurally, sounds are low frequency, vary in duration according to context and are not harmonic. The mechanism of sound production is unknown.     

Direct and Indirect Effects of Fire on Eastern Box Turtles

Prescribed fire is an increasingly important management tool for eastern deciduous forests, but relativity little is known about the direct effects of fire on the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). We used very high frequency (VHF) transmitters to monitor mortality, movement, and spatial ecology of 118 box turtles in response to 17 prescribed fires across 4 seasons and 3 sites in east Tennessee, USA, during 2016–2018. Annual survival of box turtles that experienced a prescribed fire event was lower (0.87 ± 0.04 [SE]) than turtles that did not (0.98 ± 0.01) and was negatively correlated with fire intensity, fire temperature the turtle experienced, and litter depth. All prescribed fire-related mortalities occurred during the early (Apr–May, n = 5) or late growing season (Sep–Oct, n = 1). Fourteen percent of box turtles we captured exhibited damage to their carapace from previous fire events. Box turtles that survived prescribed fires were in microsites that did not burn, moved to unburned areas during the fire, or burrowed following ignition. Home range size was similar before and after burns and sinuosity of movements did not differ in burned or unburned areas. Our results indicate that though box turtles are susceptible to prescribed fire during their active season, they have behavioral and physical traits that reduce the direct effects of prescribed fire. Prescribed fire practitioners should be aware of the risks of fire, particularly during the active season. We suggest managers consider altering prescribed fire intensity, seasonality, and firing pattern to minimize risk of direct effects where box turtles are of concern. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Breeding site specificity in the domestic species of Drosophila

Summary The emergences of domestic Drosophila species from fruits and vegetables in a market are analysed by partitioning the species diversity. Confidence limits are determined for the components of diversity.Despite some coexistence of different species within the same breeding site, ecological differences between them are revealed. Partitioning of the breeding sites is more important than partitioning of the season. D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. subobscura are specialised on fruits and D. busckii on vegetables. D. immigrans and D. hydei are less specialised. The coexistence is explained by reference to ecological theory.     

A review of Afrotropical nightjar mortality,mainly road kills

Afrotropical nightjars have evolved a number of adaptations that enable them to cope well with various natural mortality factors facing them. They are, however, extremely vulnerable to the many human factors that affect their lives. Three areas of human activity are of major concern: road traffic, habitat destruction and food gathering. Suitable legislation, with strict enforcement, should ensure that nightjar populations are not harvested excessively for the table. The many National Parks, Game Reserves and other protected areas throughout the Afrotropics should ensure that sufficient breeding and feeding habitats are available for the various nightjar species. There does not appear to be a solution to the road traffic problem, so road kills will almost certainly be the major mortality factor affecting most adult nightjars. A subjective assessment was made of the road mortality suffered by each species. The forest species (Brown Nightjar, Veles binotatus, Bates's Nightjar, Caprimulgus batesi and Prigogine's Nightjar, C. prigoginei) appear to be unaffected. The level of road mortality was rated as very low for Swamp Nightjar, C. natalensis, Nechisar Nightjar, C. solala, Golden Nightjar, C. eximius and Egyptian Nightjar, C. aetfvptius; as low for Montane Nightjar, C. poliocephalus, Slender-tailed Nightjar, C. clarus, Star-spotted Nightjar, C. stellatush and Red-necked Nightjar, C. ruficollis; as moderate for Fiery-necked (Pectoral) Nightjar, C. pectoralis, Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar, C. donaldsoni, Dark Nightjar, C. fraenatus and Nubian Nightjar, C. nubicus; as high for Freckled Nightjar, C. tristigma, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, C. rufigena, Plain Nightjar, C. inornatus and Standard-winged Nightjar, Macrodipteryx longipennis; and as very high for Long-tailed Nightjar, C. climacurus, Square-tailed Nightjar, C. fossii, European Nightjar, C. europaeus and Pennant-winged Nightjar, Semeiophorus vexillarius. Throughout the Afrotropical Region nightjars die on the roads in great numbers and for some species the road toll is a major mortality factor.     

Diet of four rock‐dwelling macropods in the Australian monsoon tropics

Abstract An unusually high diversity of macropods inhabit the rocky areas in the monsoon tropics of the Northern Territory, Australia, yet the mechanisms that allow their niche separation are not clear. Previous studies suggest that the nabarlek, Petrogale concinna, may have a more grazing diet than the short‐eared rock‐wallaby, Petrogale brachyotis, with whom it coexists. Thus, diet may be an important mechanism of niche separation between these species. We examined the diet of the four sympatric species (the black wallaroo Macropus bernardus, common wallaroo Macropus robustus, P. brachyotis and P. concinna) to determine whether there are differences in the dominant plant groups eaten by the species across the landscape and with season. Diets were determined with a macroscopic analysis of the seed and fruit content of scats and an analysis of the ¹²C to ¹³C isotope ratios of scats using mass spectrometry. In the dry season the rock‐wallaby species predominantly consumed browse and/or forbs, and the larger wallaroos predominantly consumed grass. However, there was large variation across the landscape in the dry season diets of P. brachyotis, M. bernardus and M. robustus; including high proportions of grass eaten at some sites and high proportions of browse at other sites. In the wet season, greater proportions of grass were eaten by P. brachyotis and M. bernardus than in the dry season. Generally, there was little evidence to support the previous suggestion that P. concinna is more of a grazer than P. brachyotis, but there was some evidence than M. bernardus consumes greater amounts of browse and/or forbs than M. robustus.     

Reproductive seasonality and nest-site differentiation in three closely related armoured catfishes (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae)

Synopsis Three sympatric, closely related armoured catfishes showed a similar, bimodal breeding season in coastal plain swamps in Suriname (South America). The bimodal pattern of reproduction inCallichthys callichthys,Hoplosternum littorale andHoplosternum thoracatum was correlated to the annual distribution of rainfall. Floating bubble nests were constructed throughout the period of swamp inundation (rainy season). Close inspection of the timing of reproduction ofH. littorale in northern South America revealed the relationship between reproduction and rainfall, but also unexpected differences in the length of the breeding season. Strong interspecific competition among the three species was probably avoided through differentiation of nest sites with respect to water depth, distance to the nearest tree, distance to the edge of the swamp, and cover above the nest. Nests ofH. littorale were built in herbaceous swamps, whileC. callichthys andH. thoracatum build their nests in swamp-forest. Nests ofC. callichthys were observed in extremely shallow water or in holes. Few nests of the three species were observed in canals. Over large parts of their geographical rangeC. callichthys andH. thoracatum are found in small rainforest streams. Several aspects of the reproductive ecology and behaviour of both species are probably related to the unpredictability of the stream habitat.     

Monteiro's Storm‐petrel Oceanodroma monteiroi: a new species from the Azores

The existence of two seasonally distinct breeding populations of Oceanodroma storm‐petrels in the Azores islands was first documented in 1996. The discovery of morphological differences between the populations led to the suggestion that they may represent cryptic sibling species. Recent mtDNA and microsatellite analysis from storm‐petrel populations has considerably advanced our understanding of their taxonomic relationships. Here we present new information on the timing of breeding and moult of the two Azores populations, the extent of exchange of individuals between seasons, and diet from feather isotopes. We conclude that the hot‐season Azores population should be considered a new species for which we propose the name Oceanodroma monteiroi, Monteiro's Storm‐petrel. The species is both genetically distinct and genetically isolated from the sympatric cool‐season population of Madeiran Storm‐petrel Oceanodroma castro, and from all other populations of Oceanodroma castro in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans examined to date. Differences in the vocalizations permit species recognition, and the extent of primary feather wear and stage of moult aids separation of the two species in the Azores, which is especially valuable during August when both attend the breeding colonies in large numbers. Feather carbon and nitrogen isotopes reveal that the diet of Monteiro's Storm‐petrel differs from that of the sympatric Madeiran Storm‐petrel during both breeding and non‐breeding seasons, and unlike the Madeiran Storm‐petrel, Monteiro's Storm‐petrel appears to maintain the same foraging environment during the summer and winter months, though it shows a dietary shift to higher trophic levels during the non‐breeding season. Monteiro's Storm‐petrel is thought to be confined to the Azores archipelago, where it is currently known to nest on just two small neighbouring islets. The total population size was estimated at 250–300 pairs in 1999.     

Road mortality in freshwater turtles: identifying causes of spatial patterns to optimize road planning and mitigation

Road mortality of freshwater turtles can be high enough to imperil populations near roads, thus there is a need to efficiently and accurately locate regions of excessive road-kill along road networks for mitigation. Weekly over 2?years, we drove a 160?km highway circuit in northeastern New York State, USA and recorded the location of all detected road-kill of three freshwater turtle species (Chelydra serpentina, Chrysemys picta, Emydoidea blandingii). We then analyzed the spatial dispersion of road-kill and the road and landscape features associated with road-kill locations. Road-kill was most prevalent at a limited number of short road segments, termed ‘hotspots’. The locations of hotspots, as indicated by kernel density analysis, and the peak spatial extent of hotspots (250?m), as indicated by Ripley’s?K, corresponded to the locations and average lengths of causeways (road segments with wetlands within 100?m on both sides). Hotspots were located at causeways that were greater than 200?m length and characterized by high traffic volumes, close proximity to water, and high forest coverage. We conclude that freshwater turtle road mortality is spatially aggregated at short, severe hotspots, and hotspot locations can be predicted when the locations of wetlands, traffic volumes, and the land-uses bordering roads are known. Hotspot models using these predictors can locate sites along a road network that are the most promising for mitigation to reduce excessive road mortality and maintain connectivity.     

Water relations of five tropical tree species on Barro Colorado Island,Panama

Summary Diurnal curves of xylem pressure potential (P) and leaf conductance (C) were measured for five tree species of the lowland tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Measurements were taken just before and just after the beginning of the rainy season. The species studied were: Cordia alliodora, Faramea occidentalis, Heisteria concinna, Macquira costaricana, and Trichilia cipo.For all species, predawn (base P) and daytime values of P increased markedly after the beginning of the rainy season. Diurnal patterns of C were quite diverse. C. alliodora showed a decline in C during the day whereas F. occidentaus, H. concinna, and M. costaricana showed little change. Conductance of the last three species was lower before the first rains. T. cipo exhibited more complicated behavior for P and C. Before the rainy season, low values of base P and midday P were observed (-26 bars and-39 bars, respectively). Conductance was also low. After the first rains, base P increased to-4 bars. At this time, midday P and C appeared to respond to vapor pressure deficit (VPD), being less on a day with high VPD than on a day with low VPD.