Between-population variation in body size and growth rate of hatchling Asian yellow pond turtles, Mauremys mutica
Two morphologically and genetically distinct populations were recently recognized in the Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica), but little information is available on between-population variation in life-history traits. We collected eggs from Zhejiang (northern) and Hainan
(southern) populations, and incubated them at constant temperatures of 26 °C and 30 °C. Hatchling body mass and early growth were determined in a common garden experiment to identify the intrinsic between-population difference in these life-history traits. Relative to egg size, hatchling
body mass was larger in the Zhejiang population than in the Hainan population. Hatchlings from the Hainan population grew faster than their counterparts from the Zhejiang population. Growth rates differed between the sexes in the Hainan population (females > males), but not in the Zhejiang
population. These results suggest that 1) eggs from the Zhejiang population might contain more energy and thus produce larger hatchings than eggs of the same size from the Hainan population, and 2) the intrinsic fast growth rate of hatchlings could be the reason for the larger adult size observed
in the Hainan population.
Keywords: GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION; POST-HATCHING GROWTH; TEMPERATURE
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 April 2011
- The Herpetological Journal is an international scientific journal that publishes papers on the natural history of amphibians and reptiles. Experimental, observational and theoretical studies are published along with reviews and book reviews. Faunistic lists, letters and results of general surveys are not published unless they shed light on herpetological problems of wider significance.
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