Maik Schilde Testudinata de los Amazonas, Putumayo y Caqueta. – Caldasia, 8: 341-351. Meier, H. & I. Schäfer (2003): Experiences and observations of Chelus fimbriatus, the maintenance in terrarium and successful reproduction. – Radiata (English edition), Lingenfeld, 12 (2): 3-20. Mertens, R. (1969): Eine neue Halswender-Schildkröte aus Peru. – Senck. biol., Frankfurt/Main, 50: 132. Müller, M. J. (1996): Handbuch ausgewählter Klimastationen der Erde. – Mertesdorf/Ruwertal (Forschungsstelle Bodenerosion Univ. Trier), 400 pp. Pritchard, P.C.H. (1979): Encyclopedia of Turtles. – Neptune (T.F.H. Public.), 895 pp. — & Trebbau, P. (1984): The Turtles of Venezuela. – Oxford, Ohio (Soc. for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles), 404 pp. Rogner, M. (1995): Schildkröten 2. – Hürtgenwald (Heidi-Rogner-Verlag), 265 pp. Schilde, M. (2001) Schlammschildkröten. Kinosternon, Sternotherus, Claudius, Staurotypus. – Münster (Natur und Tier – Verlag), 136 pp. Vetter, H. (2005): Turtles of the World Vol. 3. Central and South America. – Frankfurt am Main/Rodgau (Edition Chimaira/Verlag ASC), 128 pp. Wermuth, H. & R. Mertens (1961): Schildkröten, Krokodile, Brückenechsen. – Jena (Fischer Verlag), 422 pp. — (1977): Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien: Testudines, Crocodylia, Rhynchocephalia. – Das Tierreich, 100: 1-174. Wicker, R. (1984): Beobachtungen bei mehrjähriger Zucht von Phrynops geoffroanus geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) (Testudines: Chelidae). – Salamandra, Bonn, 20 (4): 185- 191. Wolff, B. (2002): Haltung und Nachzucht der Argentinischen Schlangenhalsschildkröte, Hydromedusa tectifera (Cope, 1869). – elaphe, Rheinbach, 10 (1): 31-36. Author & Photographs Maik Schilde Opalstraße 31 04319 Leipzig Germany E-Mail: maik.schilde@ufz.de Annual Meeting of the German Chelonia Group from 20. to 22. March 2009 in Hofheim near International Airport Frankfurt Details on www.radiata.de 62 RADIATA 17 (3), 2008
Argentine Snake-necked Turtle, Hydromedusa tectifera Bernd Wolff Husbandry and Propagation of the Argentine Snake-necked Turtle, Hydromedusa tectifera (Cope, 1869) Introduction The two species of the genus Hydromedusa (Wagler, 1830) are native to the central parts of South America. The present work focuses on the Argentine snake-necked turtle, Hydromedusa tectifera, with special emphasis on the raising of juveniles to sexual maturity and regular breeding. A balanced diet and seasonal temperature fluctuations are viewed as key triggers for reproduction. The collection In 1990, I received, thanks to negotiations by Ingo Pau ler, five juvenile specimens from David Fabius as a direct shipment from Uruguay. These were four to six weeks old at the time. Two years later, this group was complemented by another five specimens that were about two years of age. All these turtles grew to sexual maturity, which then showed them to be four males and six females. In 1997, the first offspring turtle could be added, which Fig. 1. Hatching of a Hydromedusa tectifera. later turned out to be another male, bringing to eleven the number of specimens making up this group. In 2001, 2.2 turtles had to be passed on to other keepers, as the sizes of the animals made it quite impossible to maintain such a large colony. Description The carapace is dark brown with a pattern of irregular, light brown markings. Hatchlings and juveniles still exhibit a distinctly keeled and wrinkled surface of the carapace, but the older the turtles grow, the smoother the dorsal shell becomes. Sex-indicative traits will be recognizable only after two to three years. Males develop a distinctly longer tail than females, with the cloaca being situated far behind the shell when the tail is stretched out. At the same point of time, the plastron starts assuming a distinctly concave shape. It was interesting to note that a specimen that had always been thought of as female eventually started exhibiting all the mentioned characteristics of a male at an age of six years. The concave shape of the plastron will be very distinct at an age of ten years. All the turtles of my colony differ in size. They became sexually mature at ages of between five and seven years. The captivebred specimens developed more equally to sexual maturity within the same time span and have by now produced offspring of their own. The adult turtles measure RADIATA 17 (3), 2008 63
