Incubation of eggs of three species of Chelid tortoises, and notes on their embryological development

Abstract

Incubation periods and nest contents of three species of chelid tortoises in northern Victoria were recorded. Mean incubation period for eggs of Emydura macquari (Cuvier) was 75 days and average number of eggs per nest was 15.7; for Chelodina longicollis (Shaw), 138 days and 10.7 eggs per nest; for Chelodina expansa Gray, normally exceeding 324 days and 15.4 eggs per nest. In abnormal seasons C. expansa hatchlings may emerge from the nest in less than 193 days or more than 522 days after eggs were deposited. Eggs artificially incubated at 30°C consistently develop more quickly than those at lower temperatures under natural conditions. In the field nest temperatures closely approximate the mean daily air temperature. Embryos of C. expansa are tolerant to nest temperatures ranging from 4.9°C minimum to 29.6°C maximum. The other species are subject to variations of about 15 degC with up to 8.5 degC variation being recorded in 1 day. Development of early embryos approximated that recorded for cryptodire tortoises. However, there are large individual differences in the period of incubation needed for specific stages to be reached, especially between embryos of the short-necked and long-necked species of these pleurodire tortoises. It is suggested that differences in the anatomy of their eggs are the main factors in the different incubation periods between short-necked and long-necked species.