Reproduction: Despite being listed as Endangered under the IUCN, spotted turtles have a rather large range, stretching as far north as Southern Canada, all the way south into Florida. To survive these different regions, spotted turtles in different populations have adapted different reproductive strategies. Because further north, the breeding season is much shorter, spotted turtles lay all their eggs at once during a short window in June. Further south however, where the breeding season is much longer, spotted turtles will stagger their clutches, laying two to three eggs periodically during the warmer months. By being able to stagger their egg laying, southern spotted turtles are able to lay their eggs in a variety of different areas, reducing the rate of nest predation.
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Psychology: Spotted turtles are perhaps smarter than the average turtle with well developed spatial recognition and memory. This was tested on captive spotted turtles that were put through rat mazes. These turtles were put in the same maze each time and, with each time, became more aware of their surroundings, learning how to get out faster. These spotted turtles went from spending up to 35min during the first trial to only 3.5min to get out during their fourth attempt at the maze. Quickly learning their surroundings can be especially beneficial in the wild where they have to navigate the labyrinth of tunnels beneath vegetation and bog mats in order to find their hibernation sites. Some have even been observed navigating to muskrat burrows to spend the winter.
Sources:
Gaalema, Diann E. "Visual Discrimination and Reversal Learning in Rough-Necked Monitor Lizards (Varanus rudicollis)." APA PsycNet, Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2011, psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-10210-009. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021. Lutzgus, Jacqueline D., and Timothy A. Mousseau. "Multiple Clutching in Southern Spotted Turtles, Clemmys guttata." jstor, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Mar. 2003, www.jstor.org/stable/1565826. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021. "Spotted Turtle." Ontario Nature, 2021, ontarionature.org/programs/community-science/reptile-amphibian-atlas/spotted-turtle/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021. |