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3 September 2021 Population Structure of the Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) in Five Montana Rivers
Kayhan Ostovar, Gabriel Wolff, David Dockery, Ulrich Hoensch, Mike Ruggles, Andrhea Massey, Reece Robinett, Earl Radonski
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Abstract

To conserve or restore riverine turtles, managers need baseline information on subpopulation structure and abundance in multiple rivers across large geographic areas. Assessing the demographics and morphological characteristics of different subpopulations can increase our understanding of how anthropogenic factors influence mortality and reproduction. We examined spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera) in 5 rivers at the western edge of the species' range in southcentral Montana, where no commercial harvest is allowed. Over 4 yrs, we captured 637 spiny softshell turtles with fish-baited hoop traps. Our objective was to compare the subpopulation demographics in the Yellowstone River—considered one of the most intact rivers in the conterminous United States—to 3 Yellowstone River tributaries (Bighorn and Clarks Fork rivers and Pryor Creek) and the adjacent Musselshell River. Subpopulations differed significantly based on the demographic metrics we examined (e.g., mean sizes and sex ratios), and we documented limited numbers of males (4%–15%). Reproductive potential and mortality of adults among rivers appeared distinct based on juvenile and size class distribution of length-frequency histograms. This information from unharvested populations illustrates the variability in subpopulation demographics of riverine turtles.

© 2021 Chelonian Research Foundation
Kayhan Ostovar, Gabriel Wolff, David Dockery, Ulrich Hoensch, Mike Ruggles, Andrhea Massey, Reece Robinett, and Earl Radonski "Population Structure of the Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) in Five Montana Rivers," Chelonian Conservation and Biology 20(2), 242-253, (3 September 2021). https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1466.1
Received: 9 August 2020; Accepted: 11 January 2021; Published: 3 September 2021
KEYWORDS
Bighorn River
commercial harvest
demographics
Oil spill
river hydrology
sex ratios
size classes
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