Meeting Abstract

P3.74  Thursday, Jan. 6  A sigh of relief: metabolic rates of hatchling snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) decrease upon entry into aquatic habitats. FINKLER, M.S.; Indiana Univ., Kokomo mfinkler@iuk.edu

Although elevated metabolism during nest emergence and dispersion is well documented in sea turtles, little is known about potential changes in metabolic rate during the first few weeks posthatching in freshwater turtles as they transition from terrestrial to aquatic habitats. In this study I compared the oxygen consumption (VO₂) and carbon dioxide production (VCO₂) of neonatal snapping turtles (Chelydra serptentina) introduced into water with those kept on soil during a period of four weeks posthatching. Animals placed in water had significantly lower metabolic rates than animals maintained on soil within one week of introduction to water, and remained lower throughout remainder of the four-week study period. The results suggest that delaying entry into aquatic habitats following hatching may have considerable energetic costs to hatchling snapping turtles. Factors that may account for this reduction in metabolic rate following arrival at the water, as well as its potential implications on energetics, growth, and survival during the first year posthatching, will be discussed.