The lingual lures of Macrochelys (alligator snapping turtles) are believed to be the only prey-capturing lures within the mouths of modern reptiles. To date, no formal assessment of lure condition in Macrochelys has been published, and few researchers record lure data. Herein, we report damaged or missing lures from 25 Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle; 7 adults, 18 juveniles) from a sample of more than 2000 lure assessments in 4 states, indicating this is a rare occurrence. We also describe lingual lure color observed in these assessments and introduce standardized terminology and color categories. We suggest researchers record data on the condition and coloration of the lingual lure to further our understanding of this ecological and evolutionary adaptation.
Condition and coloration of lingual lures of Alligator Snapping Turtles
Southeastern Naturalist
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Data Releases:
- Data from a turtle trapping effort targeting alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) in the Atchafalaya Basin beginning in 2019 (html)
- Data from a turtle trapping effort at a release site of head-started alligator snapping turtles, Macrochelys temminckii, in southwest Louisiana in 2018 (ver. 2.0, September 2021) (html)
- Data from a 2019 occupancy survey of alligator snapping turtles, Macrochelys temminckii, in south-central Louisiana (html)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Condition and coloration of lingual lures of Alligator Snapping Turtles |
| Series title | Southeastern Naturalist |
| DOI | 10.1656/058.022.0sp1227 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | sp12 |
| Year Published | 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | BioOne |
| Contributing office(s) | Wetland and Aquatic Research Center |
| Description | 11 p.; 3 Data Releases |
| First page | 429 |
| Last page | 439 |