1993/12/01 by Joseph J. Kinneary · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Medicine · #Turtle Biology and Conservation #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Leech Biology and Applications #Chelydra #Biology #Estuary #Salinity #Seawater #Turtle (robot) #Habitat #Bryozoa #Saline water #Range (aeronautics) #Alligator #Ecology #Fishery #Zoology #Oceanography
paper · doi:10.2307/1564834
openalex publication_date 1993/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
I examined the use of saline habitats by the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) in a Long Island estuary, where salinities range from fresh water (0 ppt) to approximately 70% seawater (100% seawater = 35 ppt). Movements, blood osmotic concentration, feeding habits, and leech infestation were monitored. Salinity data and field observations of distribution offer circumstantial evidence that snapping turtles are restricted to salinities hypoosmotic to the blood plasma (308 milliosmolal). Turtles were placed in enclosures at capture sites in a saline tidal creek in an attempt to test the possibility that other factors might be important in determining range extension into saline waters