Mortalidad embrionaria y éxito de eclosion en huevos de Trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae) incubados en un área natural protegida / Embryonic mortality and hatching rate of trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae) eggs artificially grown in a protected natural area

ABSTRACT

In the northeast of Costa Rica, illegal collecting, habitat destruction and heavy predation on adult females, young and eggs of Trachemys scripta produced a population decline in recent years. The slider turtle has a high reproductive potential and nests were relocated. Between January and March 1991,179 nests (3220 eggs) were collected from natural areas of Ca o Negro National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica and relocated for incubation under natural conditions in a protected site. The mean of number of eggs per clutch was 19.5 +/- 4.5 (range 8 to 31) and the mean incubation period was 77.4 +/- 11.4 days (range 50 to 110 days). The mean hatching success was 89.6 +/- 3.4 percento (range 60.0 to 100 percento).The mean early and mid embryonic mrtality was 5.5 +/- 4.3 percento, the average late embryonic mortality was 8.5 +/- 3.5 percento and infertility 1.8 +/-1.0 percento