Abstract

ARANGO-LOZANO, Julián; YOUNG-VALENCIA, Katherine; GIRALDO, Alan  and  BOTERO-BOTERO, Álvaro. ESTRUCTURA ETARIA Y MORFOMETRÍA POBLACIONAL DE LA TORTUGA PÍMPANO (Chelydra acutirostris, PETERS 1862) (CHELYDRIDAE) EN TRES AFLUENTES DEL RÍO LA VIEJA, DEPARTAMENTO DEL QUINDÍO, COLOMBIA: AGE STRUCTURE AND POPULATION MORPHOMETRY IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN SNAPPING TURTLE (Chelydra acutirostris, PETERS 1862) (CHELYDRIDAE) IN THREE AFFLUENTS OF LA VIEJA RIVER, DEPARTMENT OF QUINDÍO, COLOMBIA. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2017, vol.21, n.1, pp.122-137. ISSN 0123-3068.  https://doi.org/10.17151/bccm.2017.21.1.10.

The age structure and morphometry of the South American snapping turtle in populations in three tributaries of La Vieja River in the Department of Quindío, Cajones creek (Municipality of Montenegro), Cristales creek (Municipality of La Tebaida) and Espejo River (Municipality of Armenia, Pantanillo sector) were analyzed. Eighteen sampling sessions were performed between August 2015 and January 2016 in the places selected for the study. Four lineal paths, according to the topology of the ground with a total length of 400 meters along the watercourse, were established in each tributary. Each captured individual was measured, weighed and selected by sex on site. In total 55 turtles were captured, 23 in the Cajones creek, 16 in the Cristales creek and 16 in the Espejo River. Both in the Espejo River and in the Cajones creek the population was dominated by adults, the male-female ratio not being different than expected, 1:1. Highly significant differences were found in the preanal length of males and females, being higher in males, as well as in the relation between plastron length and the preanal length, which increased in greater proportion for males. In general, turtle population for the three tributaries were found in equilibrium in terms of male and female ratio. Also, after having performed the analysis of gender ratio among the three tributaries, significative difference among these were not found.

Keywords : autoecology; population ecology; aquatic ecosystems; gender ratio; Chelydra acutirostris.

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