BASKING IS NOT OF THERMOREGULATORY SIGNIFICANCE IN THE BASKING FRESH-WATER TURTLE EMYDURA-SIGNATA

We measured body temperatures of free-ranging Brisbane River Turtles, Emydura signata with radiotelemetry. These and other species of freshw ater turtle are commonly observed ''basking'' on logs or other elevate d sites, a behavior which is usually interpreted as thermoregulatory. However, body temperatures of eight E. signata monitored for more than 112 turtle days in winter, spring, and summer showed a striking therm oconformity with the water and provided no data showing that this spec ies routinely elevates its body temperature above water temperature. T he biological, significance of basking: is obscure in this population of E. signata, and the study highlights the need for direct measuremen ts of body temperature in free-ranging individuals of other freshwater turtle species.