Meeting Abstract
P2.139 Tuesday, Jan. 5 Use of Ultrasound, X-ray, and Oxytocin to Determine Reproductive State of Female Trachemys scripta not Collected at the Nesting Site. MOSS, AL*; ROSTAL, DC; Georgia Southern University; Georgia Southern University mandiluck5@yahoo.com
Traditionally, projects involving turtles and oxytocin have used time consuming and labor intensive capture methods such as drift fencing with pit-fall or bucket traps. Once a female is collected, palpitation is the typical means in determining egg developmental state. Though this is a sufficient method for detection of calcified eggs, it lends no information pertaining to existence of follicles or under calcified eggs. Here, we set out to determine if use of x-ray and ultrasound could prove useful in determining reproductive state in females not captured at or near the nesting site. Ninety female Trachemys scripta were collected from two sites in Southeastern Georgia (George L. Smith (GLS) and Magnolia Springs (MS) State Parks) from Feb-Aug 2009. Females were captured by dip netting (primarily at MS) and hoop-trapping (primarily at GLS). State of reproductive development was designated in six categories for each female: (1) no follicular or egg development, (2) very small (<0.60cm) follicles present, (3) follicles (0.61cm-1.20cm) present, (4) enlarged follicles (>1.21cm) but no eggs present, (5) eggs and follicles present, and (6) only eggs present. Females categorized as 5 or 6 were brought back to the lab for x-ray. Clutch size, size of pelvic aperture, and level of calcification were determined from x-rays. Category 6 females were found as early as February from MS, and category 1 females persisted as late as August at both sites. Only category 6 females (N=20) were injected with oxytocin (20IU/kg). Of those injected, less than 50% showed successful deposition (i.e. 2 or fewer eggs retained after injection, as verified by x-ray). Our findings show that ultrasound and x-ray alone may not prove useful in detection of ovipositional state for females captured away from the nesting site.
