Influence of Water Availability during Incubation on Hatchling Size, Body Composition, Desiccation Tolerance, and Terrestrial Locomotor Performance in the Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina

The effects of water availability during incubation on the water contents of neonatal snapping turtles at hatching were examined, along with the influence of hatchling water content on desiccation tolerance and terrestrial locomotor performance. The water contents of hatchlings from eggs incubated o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysiological and biochemical zoology Vol. 72; no. 6; pp. 714 - 722
Main Author Finkler, Michael S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States The University of Chicago Press 01.11.1999
Subjects
Animals
Animals, Newborn - physiology
Body Composition
Dehydration - physiopathology
Desiccation
Locomotion - physiology
Turtles - growth & development
Turtles - physiology
Water Deprivation
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Summary:The effects of water availability during incubation on the water contents of neonatal snapping turtles at hatching were examined, along with the influence of hatchling water content on desiccation tolerance and terrestrial locomotor performance. The water contents of hatchlings from eggs incubated on wet substrates were both absolutely and proportionally greater than were those of hatchlings from eggs incubated on dry substrates. Hatchlings with greater water contents at hatching were able to survive longer and to lose more water before physiological performance was adversely affected by desiccation. Increased water contents in hatchlings with greater water availability during incubation may enhance survival by increasing the amount of water the animal can afford to lose before dehydration begins to adversely affect whole animal performance.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1522-2152
1537-5293
DOI:10.1086/316711