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- Title
Growth of the Flattened Musk Turtle, Sternotherus depressus Tinkle and Webb.
- Authors
Melancon, Sherry R.; Angus, Robert A.; Marion, Ken R.
- Abstract
Sternotherus depressus (Flattened Musk Turtle) is a threatened endemic of the Black Warrior River basin in northern Alabama. Carapace lengths taken from recaptures of turtles individually marked over an 18-year period were used to generate von Bertalanffy growth curves for both sexes. Females grew faster than males early in life and reached estimated asymptotic size at a younger age. Size-at-sexual-maturity data from previous studies indicate that males reach maturity in 10-12 years, while females mature at 12-15 years. Compared to a spring-dwelling Florida population of S. minor (Loggerhead Musk Turtle), the Flattened Musk Turtle has a slower growth rate, a greater age at maturity, and a smaller asymptotic size. These differing life-history characteristics likely reflect cooler water temperatures and reduced food availability in Flattened Musk Turtle habitats.
- Subjects
BLACK Warrior River (Ala.); STERNOTHERUS; TURTLES; ANIMAL morphology; LOGGERHEAD turtle
- Publication
Southeastern Naturalist, 2011, Vol 10, Issue 3, p399
- ISSN
1528-7092
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1656/058.010.0302