J. Davenport et Jf. Ward, THE EFFECTS OF SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE ON APPETITE IN THE DIAMONDBACK TERRAPIN MALACLEMYS-TERRAPIN (LATREILLE), Herpetological journal, 3(3), 1993, pp. 95-98
The appetite of saltmarsh diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)
is extremely large (mean satiation ration on a diet of mussel flesh at
25-degrees-C = 7.2% body weight), some 8-10 times that of closely rel
ated freshwater emydid turtles. When held in sea water without access
to fresh water the appetite of diamondbacks is gradually depressed, re
aching (after 18 days in sea water) 22-54% of the average satiation ra
tion recorded when fresh water is available. Between 20 and 35-degrees
-C appetite in Malaclemys is stable (Q10 = 1.1). Between 15 and 20-deg
rees-C Q10 = 20.7, indicating a shift to a hypometabolic state below 2
0-degrees-C.