Spring Fever on the UL Lafayette Campus: courtship and mating behavior of the red-eared slider

http://www.suzannefredericqseaweedslab.com/.
This video clip shows the courtship behavior of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), common turtles in the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) swamp ("Cypress Lake") on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Courtship and mating activities take place underwater. In this instance, two sexually active males simultaneously swim toward the female, stretch out their front feet, and flutter or vibrate their long claws on the female's head and neck in a courtship dance. Attempted mating by the two males is also shown.

The male is usually smaller than the female with a much longer and thicker tail. The cloacal opening of the male is beyond the edge of the carapace while the female's opening is at or under the rear edge of the carapace. Males have longer, curved claws that they use in courtship and mating.

The epizoic green macroalga Basicladia crassa (Cladophoraceae, Cladophorales) grows exclusively on the turtles' carapaces. In the individuals filmed, the algae only grew on the males' shells. Filmed by Suzanne Fredericq on the first day of Spring, March 20th, 2009.

Not shown here is that when the female is receptive, she will eventually stop swimming and slowly sink to the bottom. The male then follows and climbs on top of her, holding her carapace with all four claws while bending his tail under hers. During this time the male may bite the female on the neck. Once in place, the male will let go with his front legs and swim backwards until he is nearly in vertical position. From this position mating occurs and lasts about fifteen minutes.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• University
• Louisiana
• Lafayette
• Cypress
• Lake
• red-eared
• slider
• turtle
• campus
• swamp
• reptiles
• nature
• wildlife
• bald
• cypress
• Taxodium

[darkstarwarp]

shes like : get away you perverts : theyre like : baby i wants some ass

[faelismaegnus]

Two lightweights after one big mama. Great. I used to be a terror on Young's Coulee as a boy fisherman. I always released any turtles I accidentally caught while angling for choupique (bowfin: amia calva) and catfish. In Abbeville there are sailfin mollies, mosquitofish, myriad juvenile fish species, and even blue crabs and mullets in Young's and other coulees. Great work, Nemastoma.

Thanks for bringing "Cajun" wildlife to exiles like moi. Ich erwarte gerne deine neue videos! Mach's gut! mon ami

[redwatersedge]

It's Spring fever allright!