Notes on Comparative Tolerance of Some Iowa Turtles to Oxygen Deficiency (Hypoxia)

Six species of Iowa turtles (including pharyngeal water-pumpers and non-pumpers) were tested for resistance to anoxia. Five species of juveniles were included in the series. With the exception of Trionyx, adult aquatic turtles tolerated hypoxia longer than juveniles of the same species. Some terrestrial species were as tolerant as some aquatic species. Maximum tolerance time submerged (18° to 19°C) was 56 hours for an equatic species, Chrysemys picta, whereas that of a terrestrial species, Terrapene ornata, was 12 hours