Pelomedusa subrufa dry faecal mass and egg densities

Marsh helmeted terrapins (Pelomedusa subrufa) potentially facilitate zoochory of fairy shrimp dormant eggs between temporary wetland environments. Dominance hierarchies are known to establish in freshwater testudine populations, with larger-sized or older individuals being dominant over smaller or younger individuals. We assessed for zoochory potential between large- and small-sized turtles by assessing P. subrufa faecal samples from a temporary pan which was observed to hold high densities of both the terrapin and fairy shrimp. Small-sized terrapin dry faecal mass was similar to large-sized terrapin dry faecal mass. However, potential egg densities were much higher in small-sized terrapin. , We opportunistically tested for the potential of size-related dominance hierarchy in P. subrufa to contribute to dispersal of large branchiopod dormant eggs in a southern African temporary wetland complex. On 12 January 2022, while sampling a wetland site as part of a larger investigation of temporary pan ecology, it was evident that high numbers of testudines were present. Dozens of P. subrufa were seen breaching the water surface with their heads at any one time. Sampling of the pan also revealed high densities of fairy shrimp. As such, we collected terrapins of two discrete size classes (small and large) and obtained faecal samples to assess for the presence of large branchiopod dormant eggs, their viability through hatching experiments, and size-related differences in zoochorous potential. 
A total of 61 terrapins were sampled from the single seine net haul, all identified as P. subrufa. Two size classes were evident, with 36 individuals categorized as small (65 mm–115 mm carapace l..., Microsoft Excel

沼泽头盔侧颈龟（Marsh helmeted terrapins，学名*Pelomedusa subrufa*）可在临时湿地生境之间助力仙女虾休眠卵的动物传播（zoochory）。已知淡水龟类（testudine）种群中存在优势等级体系，体型更大或年龄更老的个体相较于体型更小、年龄更轻的个体占据优势地位。本研究通过分析一处临时浅滩（temporary pan）中采集的*Pelomedusa subrufa*粪便样本，评估了大小个体间的动物传播潜力——该浅滩经观测同时拥有高密度的沼泽侧颈龟与仙女虾种群。小型个体的粪便干重与大型个体并无显著差异，但小型个体粪便中潜在的卵密度则显著更高。

我们还顺势测试了*Pelomedusa subrufa*体型相关的优势等级体系，是否会影响大型鳃足类（large branchiopod）休眠卵在南非南部临时湿地群中的传播潜力。2022年1月12日，在作为临时浅滩生态学更大规模研究的一部分开展湿地采样时，我们观测到该区域存在大量龟类个体。彼时单次观测即可见数十只*Pelomedusa subrufa*将头部露出水面。对该浅滩的采样同时发现了高密度的仙女虾种群。据此，我们采集了两个明确体型等级（小型与大型）的沼泽侧颈龟个体，并获取其粪便样本，以检测大型鳃足类休眠卵的存在情况、通过孵化实验评估卵的活力，以及分析动物传播潜力的体型相关差异。

本次仅通过一次围网（seine net）捕捞便采集到61只龟类个体，经鉴定均为*Pelomedusa subrufa*。可明确区分两个体型等级，其中36只为小型个体（背甲长65 mm–115 mm，原文数据未完整呈现），采样数据附带Microsoft Excel文件。