Turtle embryos move to optimal thermal environments within the egg

Bo Zhao, Teng Li, Richard Shine, Wei-Guo Du

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A recent study demonstrated that the embryos of soft-shelled turtles can reposition themselves within their eggs to exploit locally warm conditions. In this paper, we ask whether turtle embryos actively seek out optimal thermal environments for their development, as do post-hatching individuals. Specifically, (i) do reptile embryos move away from dangerously high temperatures as well as towards warm temperatures? and (ii) is such embryonic movement due to active thermoregulation, or (more simply) to passive embryonic repositioning caused by local heat-induced changes in viscosity of fluids within the egg? Our experiments with an emydid turtle (Chinemys reevesii) show that embryos avoid dangerously high temperatures by moving to cooler regions of the egg. The repositioning of embryos is an active rather than passive process: live embryos move towards a heat source, whereas dead ones do not. Overall, our results suggest that behavioural thermoregulation by turtle embryos is genuinely analogous to the thermoregulatory behaviour exhibited by post-hatching ectotherms.

Original languageEnglish
Article number20130337
Pages (from-to)1-4
Number of pages4
JournalBiology Letters
Volume9
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Aug 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • behavioural thermoregulation
  • ectotherm
  • embryo
  • oviparity

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