The tuberculate toad-headed turtle, Mesoclemmys tuberculata (Lüederwaldt, 1926), is a Neotropical freshwater turtle endemic to Brazil (Bérnils and Costa, 2012) which is widely distributed in the Northeast region, ranging from the inland northeastern semi-arid region in the Parnaíba river to the Atlantic-Northeastern Orient and São Francisco basin (Souza, 2005). This species has been recorded in areas of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest (Souza, 2005; Batistella et al., 2008; Santos et al., 2008; Loebmann and Haddad, 2010; Morato et al., 2011; Loebmann et al., 2006), and recently was also recorded in the Cerrado biome, in the north of Minas Gerais State, Brazil (Silveira and Valinhas, 2010).

Despite its wide distribution, the biology of M. tuberculata is poorly known. Souza (2004) reported the lack of basic information about the biology of this species in a review on the activity patterns, reproduction and feeding ecology of the Brazilian freshwater turtles (Testudines, Chelidae). It is known that the mating behavior of M. tuberculata in captivity was more frequently observed between January and July (Corazza

and Molina, 2004), but there are no descriptions of the hatchlings in the literature. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the morphology and color pattern of a wild hatchling of M. tuberculata from the Atlantic Forest Region in northeastern Brazil.

During an investigation about the ecology of freshwater turtles in northeastern Brazil, we hand-captured one hatchling of M. tuberculata on 30 July 2014, close to a pond (Figure 1) in the buffer zone of the Serra de Itabaiana National Park, Itabaiana municipality, Sergipe State, Brazil (S 10º44.287’, W 037º23.189’, 250 m a.s.l.). We used a digital caliper (precision of 0.01 mm) to record the following straight measurements: carapace length, width and height, plastron length and width, bridge length and head width (between tympanums). Plastral formulae was determined by measurements of the intergular, humeral, pectoral, abdominal, femoral and anal ventral scutes. We also used a digital caliper to measure the distance of the suture of the ventral scutes, except for the intergular scute, for which we measured the mid-line (see McCord et al., 2001). Turtle weight was obtained using a Pesola spring scale (precision of 0.3 g). The hatchling was measured, photographed, collected, fixed in 10% formalin and preserved in 70% alcohol, and deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (CHUFPB 13270), João Pessoa municipality, Paraíba State, Brazil.

The specimen captured presents morphological aspects and a color pattern that greatly differs from adults. The egg caruncle was absent and the umbilical scar was small and shallow, indicating that the hatchling was probably only a few weeks old. The turtle had a carapace length of 47.1 mm and the head width measured 15.1 mm (representing 32 % of carapace length). The plastral formulae of the hatchling was:

Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 407-410 (2015) (published online on 12 August 2015)

Hatchling morphology of the Tuberculate Toadhead Turtle (Mesoclemmys tuberculata [Lüederwaldt, 1926]) from

northeastern Brazil (Testudines: Chelidae)

Daniel Oliveira Santana1,*, Thiago Simon Marques2, Gustavo Henrique Calazans Vieira1, Renato Gomes Faria3 and Daniel Oliveira Mesquita1

1 Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, CEP 58059-900, João Pessoa – PB Brasil;

2 Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, CEP 13416-000, Piracicaba, Brasil;

3 Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Sergipe. Cidade Universitária Prof. José Aloísio de Campos, CEP 49100-000. São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.

* Corresponding author. Email: danielbioufs@yahoo.com.br

Daniel Oliveira Santana et al.408

Figure 1. A) Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata and B) the pond where it was recorded in the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana.

Figure 2. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) Ventral view; B) Dorsal view; C) Detail of the head dorsal surface; D) Detail of the tympanum in head side view. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana.

femoral > humeral > abdominal > intergular > pectoral > anal (Table 1). The carapace of the hatchling was oval with a maximum width measurement of 35.7 mm. In the carapace, there was a poorly developed median keel on the second, third and fourth vertebral scutes. The color of the carapace was dark brown, with grey and black spots, and an orange border (Figure 2).

The dorsal surface of the head was covered by brownish shields of different sizes. The tympanum was whitish, mottled with pale gray and orange coloration (Figure 2). The ventral surface of the head and neck was covered by small rounded shields. The throat and neck were whitish, slightly and irregularly mottled with grayish and orange spots. Two small barbels were attached to the chin. The plastron was mostly orange with a wide central black symmetrical patch, extending from the humeral to the femoral, and pointing over the intergular scute. Orange was the predominant color on the plastron bridges and ventral surfaces of the marginal scutes. The forelimbs and hind limbs were similar to those of adults, but with some orange spots in arms, thighs, legs, and tip of the tail (Figure 3).

Previous descriptions are not available for any hatchling of M. tuberculata, neither for captivity nor for wild individuals. The hatchling described herein represents the first detailed description of the morphology and color pattern of a hatchling of M. tuberculata, and also represents a new record for the minimum carapace length of M. tuberculata (47.1 mm). Likewise, Ferronato et al. (2010) described the hatchling morphology of the congener turtle Mesoclemmys raniceps in the Amazon basin, describing a minimum carapace length of 53.8 mm for that species. Moreover, the absence of museum records of hatchlings of M. tuberculata and the lack of basic information about its biology and natural history, emphasizes the need of more detailed ecological investigations of the early life stages of this species.

Acknowledgments. We thank the collaboration of the managers of the Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana (PNSI) and to the people of Parque dos Falcões in the buffer zones of PNSI. Special thanks to José Percílio, Alexandre Correia, Clenilton Andrade (Keninho) and Alcina Maria Mendonça Costa for their help in the collection of the specimen. To Mr. João Oliveira Santana, Helon Simões Oliveira and Dayvid Bruno dos Santos for their help in field activities, and to The Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the fellowships granted to authors. The collection permit was granted by Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade – ICMBio (permit # 38724-1). Thiago S. Marques is supported by a fellowship from São Paulo Science Foundation (FAPESP).

Hatchling morphology of the Tuberculate Toadhead Turtle from northeastern Brazil 409

Figure 3. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) Detail of the head ventral surface; B) Detail of the hind limbs and tail with some orange spots. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana.

1

Table 1. Morphological measurements of Mesoclemmys tuberculata hatchling 1

(CHUFPB 13270) from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the 2

municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil, with proportions in relation to the 3

length of the carapace (% CL). 4

Morphological traits mm % CL

Carapace length* 47.1 —

Carapace width* 35.7 0.75

Plastron length* 42.8 0.90

Plastron width* 28.9 0.61

Carapace height* 14.7 0.31

Bridge length* 11.1 0.23

Head width* 15.1 0.32

Carapace width/Head width* 3.11 —

Intergular ventral scute** 6.5 0.13

Humeral ventral scute** 7.2 0.15

Pectoral ventral scute** 5.8 0.12

Abdominal ventral scute** 7.0 0.14

Femoral ventral scute** 8.4 0.17

Anal ventral scute** 5.5 0.11

Weight (g) 14 — * All the measurements (mm) listed in the table refer to straight measures. 5** Sutures distances, except for intergular scute. 6

78

Figure 1. A) Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata and B) the pond where it was 9

recorded in the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of 10

Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil. Photos by Daniel Oliveira Santana. 11

12

Figure 2. Hatchling of Mesoclemmys tuberculata from the buffer zone of Serra de 13

Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil; A) 14

Table 1. Morphological measurements of Mesoclemmys tuberculata hatchling (CHUFPB 13270) from the buffer zone of Serra de Itabaiana National Park, in the municipality of Itabaiana, Sergipe State, Brazil, with proportions in relation to the length of the carapace (% CL).

Accepted by Vinicius Caldart

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