Geographic Variation in the Seasonal Activity Cycle of Spotted Turtles, Clemmys guttata

Abstract

to northern Florida, and west through Pennsylvania and the lower Great Lakes region to northeastern Illinois (Ernst, 1972). Previous investigators have noted that northern populations of C. guttata are active primarily during the spring (Conant, 1951; Nemuras, 1966; Ernst, 1976), and appear to shun high environmental temperatures (Ward et al., 1976; Ernst, 1982). However, there are no published accounts regarding the seasonal activity cycle of this essentially northern species in the southern part of its range. If aversion to high temperature is consistent in the species, then turtles at lower latitudes should initiate their activity cycle earlier than populations at higher latitudes. The objective of this study was to compare the seasonal activity cycles of C. guttata from various geographic regions. Previously published seasonal activity cycles for C. guttata (Ohio-Conant, 1951; Maryland-Nemuras, 1966; Pennsylvania-Ernst, 1976) were compared, along with unpublished records for South Carolina. Records for South Carolina were based on live ani-