U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Date of this Version
August 2003
Abstract
At 0710 h, 11 June 2002, a Pseudemys peninsularis was found in a Giant Land Crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) colony on an isolated isthmus of sandy spoil in a large bulkheaded estuarine canal (Intracoastal Waterway) near Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach, Florida. The spoil site was adjacent to the concrete seawall of the canal and rose < 0.5 m above the mean high tide level. The turtle was found on its back, partially covered by a fallen palm frond, and was surrounded by 20-25 easily visible crabs within 10 m, and three were within 15 cm at the initial sighting. The turtle was deeply retracted into its shell, and its right rear foot exhibited soft tissue damage apparently inflicted by crabs. It was released at ca. 0713 h into 0.25 m deep water adjacent to the island, where it remained submerged and deeply retracted into its shell when observations ended at 0720 h.
Comments
Published by Herpetological Review 34(2), 2003.