Size-specific fecundity of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)
Mueller JM, Sharp KR, Zander KK, Rakestraw DL, Rautenstrauch KR, Lederle PE. 1998. Size-specific fecundity of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Journal of Herpetology. 32(3):313-319
This paper presents the results of a study to determine the annual fecundity of desert tortoises. The study was conducted between 1993-1995 at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The authors found clutch size and annual fecundity were related to female size but annual clutch frequency was not. Annual fecundity of tortoises in this study was compared with that of tortoises studied in Goffs, California between 1983-1985. The regression lines of fecundity on female size for each population had similar slopes, however, the Goffs tortoises produced on average 4.5 eggs more than the Yucca Mountain tortoises of the same size.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Mueller, James; Sharp, Kamila; Zander, Katherine; Rakestraw, Danny; Rautenstrauch, Kurt; Lederle, Patrick
- Units
- MOJA
- Keywords
- Annual clutch frequency, Annual fecundity, Clutch Size, Gopherus agassizii (Desert Tortoise), Reptilia (Reptiles), Testudines, Testudinidae (Tortoises), x-rays, Yucca Mountain Nevada