Surface nesting is common among tropical turtles, but is an uncommon and poorly documented event in temperate species. Here we report two separate instances of surface nesting in Kinosternon subrubrum (Eastern Mud Turtle), in a Louisiana swamp in November, 2001 and March, 2002. The clutches, each consisting of a single egg, were found on man-made earthen structures within a Dwarf Palmetto-hardwood floodplain. The adaptive significance of ovipositing eggs on the surface of compact clay soils is possibly related to the need for oxygen exchange between the eggshell and embryonic membranes as well as avoidance of high water-table conditions. The two nests were laid in winter months, unlike the typical May or June nesting of northern females.
Translator Disclaimer
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
