Abundance and Population Structure of Hydromedusa tectifera Cope, 1869 in a Highly Anthropogenic Environment in Argentina

SEMEÑIUK, MARÍA BELÉN; E. PALUMBO; ROCÍO M. SÁNCHEZ; ALCALDE L; MARÍA J. CASSANO; SEMEÑIUK, MARÍA BELÉN; ROCÍO M. SÁNCHEZ; E. PALUMBO; ALCALDE L; MARÍA J. CASSANO

CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY

CHELONIAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2019 p. 24 - 31

1071-8443

The present study characterizes a population of Hydromedusa tectifera in a humandisturbedstream in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We analyzed the variation of abundance,sex ratio, body condition index, and size class distribution across 3 sections of the Rodriguezstream with different degrees of urbanization regarding house density (null, low, and high) alongthe stream margins. Fieldwork was carried out from March 2017 to January 2018. Turtles werecaught manually, and the following variables were recorded: site, transect and margin, sex,straight carapace length, and weight. We found 109 H. tectifera individuals (56 males, 46 females,and 7 hatchlings) with a balanced sex ratio and body condition index that did not vary amongsites. Most turtles were caught at the site with greatest urbanization degree. However, our resultsshowed no significant differences in the number of turtles caught among stream sites. Regardingsize class distributions, the population consists largely of medium-sized to large adult turtles (150?250 mm). The present study demonstrates that the moderate urbanization degree occurring alongthe Rodriguez stream seems not to have negative impact on the studied population of H. tectifera.Some of the topics highlighted here constitute a first step to understanding how urbanizationimpacts this species. In any case, we suggest that a periodic monitoring program of the studiedpopulation is necessary in order to monitor the studied parameters and include new ones, such ashabitat requirements, reproduction sites, and food quality, among others, that would probably beuseful for their management to achieve better integration between the city and the turtles livingthere.