A Comparison of Maternal and Temperature Effects on Sex, Size, and Growth of Hatchlings of the Magdalena River Turtle (Podocnemis lewyana) Incubated under Field and Controlled Laboratory Conditions

During two nesting seasons we monitored 19 naturally Incubated nests of Podocnemis lewyana obtained from two sites In the Mompos Depression of northern Colombia. We Incubated another nine nests In the laboratory under similar humidity conditions, but at six different temperatures. We sexed the hatchlings obtained from all nests to confirm for the first time the occurrence of temperature-dependent sex determination In this species and quantify sex ratios and the pivotal temperature for this population. In both nesting seasons, the majority of the nests In the field produced hatchlings of both sexes, but sex ratios differed between study beaches/years. The pivotal temperature documented (33.4 degrees C) appears to be among the highest reported for a turtle species. Incubation conditions In the naturally Incubated nests also Influenced hatching success rates and incubation periods, but not hatchling size or weight. Hatchlings obtained from the nests Incubated In the laboratory were reared for one month In order to study the influence of pre-hatching factors on growth rates. In these nests we documented maternal effects on egg size, Initial hatchling size, and weight and growth rates. Incubation temperature also influenced hatching success rates, sex ratios, growth rates, and hatchling size, but not hatchling weight.