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23 February 2009 Effects of Sex and Microhabitat Use on Diel Body Temperature Variation in Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata)
JohnW. Rowe, SusanF. Dalgarn
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Abstract

Sources of body temperature (Tb) variation in freshwater turtles are known for very few species. Using surgically implanted, temperature-sensitive radiotransmitters in Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata), we assessed Tb variation in relation to sex, microhabitat use, weather conditions, and water temperature (Tw) in a marsh system in northern Michigan. Diel Tb cycling occurred regardless of weather conditions and included monotonic declines during late evening and early morning hours, a late morning warming phase, a mid-day spike, and afternoon oscillations. Males maintained significantly higher mean Tb than females during the 0000–0600 h time period but not at other times during the day. During the nesting season and during all summer and fall months, sex did not explain any variation in mean daily Tb, but males had significantly lower mean daily Tb variability (CV Tb) than females. Mean daily Tb and CV Tb were significantly lower on overcast days than on sunny days, and females maintained significantly greater mean daily Tb than males on cloudy days. Habitat use affected mean daily Tb, where turtles that used the open-water microhabitat had higher and less variable Tb than turtles that used the edge microhabitat for at least part of the day. Overall, mean total daily distance moved (TDDM) was greater in males than in females although the effect was weak. Mean TDDM was significantly greater on sunny days than on cloudy days, and greater in turtles that used open-water microhabitats than in turtles that used only the edge microhabitat. Mean daily Tb began to decline in October, but mean TDDM, and therefore activity, did not occur until November. Daily movements ceased when Tw fell to 2.0–3.9°C in December and January.

2009 by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
JohnW. Rowe and SusanF. Dalgarn "Effects of Sex and Microhabitat Use on Diel Body Temperature Variation in Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata)," Copeia 2009(1), 85-92, (23 February 2009). https://doi.org/10.1643/CP-07-073
Received: 23 March 2007; Accepted: 1 August 2008; Published: 23 February 2009
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