The home range of adult Phrynops geoffroanus (Testudines, Chelidae) in relation to sex and body mass

By

Pinheiro Müller, Márcia Marrie
Ortega, Zaida
Castro Antunes, Pâmela
Lopes Seino, Larissa
Justino Hammarstron, Matheus
França Balbino-Silva, Ana Carolina
Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos, Luiz Gustavo

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019-12-3

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

32

Pages

259--265

Subjects

one-dimensional fixed kernel , radio-tracking , turtle , VHF transmitters

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e38237

 

Abstract

Studying how different variables influence the size and shape of animals’ home ranges helps our understanding of the ecology of individuals and populations. This study aims to assess the effects of sex and body mass on home range size and the sexual differences in the use of terrestrial habitats of a population of aquatic turtles Phrynops geoffroanus from an urban area in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Turtles were captured along a river by active search, occasional encounter and hoop traps. Using individual VHF radio transmitters, 13 individuals (7 females and 6 males) were radio-tracked by homing in on the signal strength of the transmitter. Home ranges were estimated by 95% and 50% core one-dimensional fixed kernel and linear distance method. Home ranges were similar for both sexes (t = -0.50, DF = 12, p = 0.62) and independent of body mass (t = -0.53, DF = 12, p = 0.60). However, females seemed to use terrestrial habitats more than males (females = six recorded locations out of 767 points; males = none), probably to nest. To gain insight on how males and females use their space, it would be useful to focus future studies on the influence of sex in microhabitat selection of Phrynops geoffroanus. Finally, as sex did not influence home range, studying the contribution of other variables – both intrinsic, as age or personality, and extrinsic, as habitat composition or distribution of trophic resources – shaping the home ranges of the species is proposed.