Abstract
The embryonic development in several freshwater turtles is dependent on the incubating temperature. Different incubating temperature can induce significant difference in sex ratios among turtle populations with temperature dependent sex determination. The Malayan snail-eating turtle, Malayemys macrocephala, is a native freshwater turtle commonly found in rice fields of Thailand. Previous morphometric analysis on this species suggested a temperature-dependent pattern of sex determination. This study aimed to examine effect of temperature on gonadal development of M. macrocephala using histological analysis. Turtle eggs were collected during December 2011 to February 2012 from rice fields in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in the central part of Thailand and incubated in the laboratory at 26 °C, 29 °C and 32 °C. Results from sex identification based on gonadal structure and statistical analyses of sex ratio confirm prior observations that incubation at low temperature (26 °C) produced male-biased sex ratio, while incubation at high temperature (32 °C) produced female-biased sex ratio. Incubation at 29 °C resulted in 1 male: 1 female sex ratio, suggesting that this incubating temperature is a pivotal temperature of M. macrocephala. A 3 × 3 contingency table analysis reveals a significant association between incubating temperature and the stage of gonadal development. Interestingly, testicular development was more advanced at 32 °C than other temperatures, while developmental stage of the ovaries was more advanced at 29 °C than other temperatures. This suggested that incubating temperature can also induce significant difference in gonadal development of the freshwater turtle.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bull JJ (1980) Sex determination in reptiles. Q Rev Biol 5:3–21
Bull JJ, Vogt RC, McCoy C (1982) Sex determining temperatures in turtle: a geographical comparison. Evolution 36:326–332
Bull JJ, Wibbels T, Crews D (1990) Sex-determining potencies vary among female incubation temperature in a turtle. J Exp Zool 256:339–341
Bulmer MG, Bull JJ (1982) Models of polygenic sex determination and sex ratio control. Evolution 36:13–26
Ceriani SA, Wyneken J (2008) Comparative morphology and sex identification of the reproductive system in formalin-preserved sea turtle specimens. Zoology 111:179–187
Du WG, Hu LJ, Lu JL, Zhu LJ (2007) Effects of incubation temperature on embryonic developmental rate, sex ratio and post-hatching growth in the Chinese three-keeled pond turtle, Chinemys reevesii. Aquaculture 272:47–753
Ewert MA, Etchberger CR, Nelson CE (2004) Turtle sex-determining model and TSD patterns, and some TSD pattern correlates. In: Valenzuela N, Lance V (eds) Temperature-dependent sex determination in vertebrates. Smithsonian Books, Washington, DC, pp 21–32
Grant M, Ashmore F, Janzen J (2003) Phenotypic variation in smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) from egg incubation in constant versus fluctuating temperatures. Oecologia 134:182–188
Humason GL (1979) Animal tissue techniques, 2nd edn. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) Climate change 2007: synthesis report, contribution of working group I, II and III to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC, Geneva
Keithmaleesatti S (2008) An assessment of the association of organochlorine pesticide contamination and reproductive effects on the snail-eating turtle (Malayemys macrocephala) in the lower Chao Phraya River basin, Thailand. Unpublished Dissertation, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Tokita M, Kuratani S (2001) Normal embryonic stage of the Chinese softshelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis (Trionychidae). Zool Sci 18:705–715
Valenzuela N (2004) Evolution and maintenance of temperature-dependent sex determination. In: Valenzuela N, Lance V (eds) Temperature dependent sex determination in vertebrates. Smithsonian Books, Washington, DC, pp 131–147
Walther GR, Post E, Convey P, Menze A, Parmesank C, Beebee TJC, Fromentin JM, Guldbergi OH, Bairlein F (2002) Ecological responses to recent climate change. Nature 416:389–395
Yntema CL (1968) A series of stage in the embryonic development of Chelydra serpentina. J Morphol 125:219–252
Yntema CL (1981) Characteristics of gonads and oviducts in hatchlings and young of Chelydra serpentina resulting from three incubation temperatures. J Morphol 167:297–304
Zar HJ (1998) Biostatistical analysis, 4th edn. Prentice Hall International, Upper Saddle River
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Somyos Sooksumran and members of the BioSentinel Laboratory at Chulalongkorn University for their assistance in the field. This research was supported by the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University. An educational grant from the Human Resource Development in Science Project (Science Achievement Scholarship of Thailand) to RP is acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pewphong, R., Kitana, N., Kitana, J. (2016). Effect of Temperature on Development: The Case of the Malayan Snail-Eating Turtle Malayemys macrocephala . In: Das, I., Tuen, A. (eds) Naturalists, Explorers and Field Scientists in South-East Asia and Australasia. Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26161-4_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26161-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-26159-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-26161-4
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)