Faculty Publications

Effect Of Age And Body Size On Selected Temperature By Juvenile Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta)

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Emydid turtles, Glyptemys, Hatchling turtles, Juvenile turtles, Ontogeny, Reptile, Selected temperature, Temperature gradient, Thermal preference, Thermoregulation

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Thermal Biology

Volume

34

Issue

1

First Page

41

Last Page

48

Abstract

In an aquatic thermal gradient of 15-30 °C, 3-, 6-, and 12-month-old juvenile wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) acclimated to 20 °C selected the warmest temperature available (30 °C) and avoided the coldest temperatures available (15 and 18 °C). Mean selection of chambers differed between control and gradient tests across all temperatures except 27 °C. Turtles of all age classes relocated between chambers less often when the gradient was present than during control tests. Six- and 12-month-old turtles selected 30 °C more frequently, and selected colder temperatures less frequently, than 3-month-old turtles, suggesting that the ability to select preferred temperatures is better developed in older hatchlings. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Department

Department of Biology

Original Publication Date

1-1-2009

DOI of published version

10.1016/j.jtherbio.2008.10.002

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