Data and code supporting acoustic and environmental factors driving digging behavior in the early life of a freshwater turtle

Acoustic communication is widespread in the animal kingdom and often fundamental to early life survival. Extant archosaurs, birds and crocodilians, display complex vocalizations in early life that function in parental care and embryo communication. Turtles are a sister group to archosaurs, and vocalize, but lack parental care, providing an opportunity to decouple parental care from other factors driving the evolution of neonatal communication. Turtle hatchlings produce vocalizations in the subterranean nest before emergence, but their function remains unclear. We hypothesized that acoustic cues may facilitate emergence from the nest by cuing hatchlings to begin digging out of the subterranean nest cavity. We test whether hatchling vocalizations are positively associated with digging activity in hatchling snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). In two successive years, we monitored subterranean hatchling behaviour in situ with acoustic recorders in semi-natural turtle nests. Structural E..., , , # Acoustic communication and temperature drive coordinated digging behavior during an early life stage transition of a freshwater turtle

**Authors:** Claudia Lacroix, Christina M. Davy, Njal Rollinson

**Last Updated:** 2025-04-17

**Abstract:** Acoustic communication is vital for early life survival in animals. Extant archosaurs, birds and crocodilians, display vocalisations that function in parental care and neonatal communication. Turtles also vocalize in early life and are a sister group to archosaurs. However, turtles lack parental care, providing an opportunity to decouple factors related to parental care and social learning. We tested the hypothesis that hatchling turtle vocalizations coordinate digging in the nest. We monitored snapping turtle hatchlings over two summers with acoustic recorders and wildlife cameras. Machine learning-based acoustic signal processing and structural equation modeling showed a strong positive association between hatchling vocalization and nest move...,

声学通讯在动物界广泛分布，且往往是动物早期存活的核心基础。现存主龙类（archosaurs）、鸟类与鳄目动物在生命早期会发出复杂鸣叫声，这类鸣叫声的功能涵盖亲代抚育与胚胎间通讯。龟类是主龙类的姊妹群，同样具备发声能力，但缺乏亲代抚育行为，这为我们分离亲代抚育与其他驱动新生个体通讯演化的因素提供了研究契机。龟类幼体在破巢出土前会在地下巢穴中发出鸣叫声，但其具体功能仍不明确。我们提出假说：声学信号可通过引导幼体开始挖掘地下巢穴腔，从而助力幼体顺利破巢出土。本研究以拟鳄龟（Chelydra serpentina）幼体为对象，检验其鸣叫声是否与挖掘行为呈显著正相关。在连续两年的研究中，我们通过半自然龟巢内的声学记录仪原位监测地下幼体的行为。结构方程相关分析（原文截断）……

# 声学通讯与温度驱动淡水龟早期生命阶段过渡期间的协同挖掘行为

**作者：** Claudia Lacroix、Christina M. Davy、Njal Rollinson

**最后更新：** 2025-04-17

**摘要：** 声学通讯对动物的早期存活至关重要。现存主龙类、鸟类与鳄目动物会发出鸣叫声，其功能涵盖亲代抚育与新生个体间通讯。龟类同样会在生命早期发出鸣叫声，且是主龙类的姊妹群。但龟类缺乏亲代抚育行为，这为我们分离亲代抚育与社会学习相关的因素提供了研究机会。我们验证了“龟类幼体鸣叫声可协调巢穴内挖掘行为”这一假说。我们在两个夏季中，通过声学记录仪与野生动物相机对拟鳄龟幼体进行监测。基于机器学习的声学信号处理与结构方程模型分析结果显示，幼体鸣叫声与巢穴移动（原文截断）……呈显著正相关。