Epizoic Algae from Freshwater Turtles in Nova Scotia

ABSTRACT

Nineteen Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), eight snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and fourteen painted (Chrysemys picta) turtles trapped in Nova Scotia in 2005 were examined for epizoic algae. Algae were macroscopically apparent on 14 Blanding's and seven snapping turtles; microscopic examination of material scraped fiom various surfaces of these turtles revealed the predominance of two algal taxa. The cladophoroid green alga Basicladia chelonum was common on the shell of both Blandiig's and snapping turtles and also present on the head and tail of the latter. B. chelomun is reported for the first time in Canada east of Ontario. A filamentous cyanobacterium, Komvophoron sp., formed extensive colonies solely in the leg bases of Blanding's turtles, where B. chelonum was absent. Although the nature of the interaction is unknown, this is the first potential symbiosis between a cyanobacterium and a turtle. Examination of a historical (2001–05) photographic database for Blanding's turtle in Nova Scotia revealed a colonization rate of 10% for B. chelonum and 46% for Komvophoron sp. It also revealed population and age-specific differences in frequency of the two algal taxa on Blanding's turtles.