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<p>Aestivation and migration are among the adaptations that have evolved to cope with extreme or prolonged periods of drought in vertebrates. In reptiles, aestivation behavior and its duration are predicted to be influenced by environmental variables in response to harsh climatic conditions. Aestivation and/or migration could promote the ability of turtles to colonize new areas, which would be reflected in proportionally larger distributions for species that aestivate. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between aestivation behavior and environmental stressors. More specifically, the relationship between maximum aestivation days and distribution size as well as their interaction with environmental variables, in New World freshwater turtles and tortoises using a comparative phylogenetic context. Aestivation behavior was positively associated with maximum temperature of the warmest month (Bio5). Moreover, aestivating species had larger distributions compared to non-aestivating species. We found a relationship between distribution size and maximum aestivation days, with an influence of precipitation of the wettest month (Bio13), and mean UV-B radiation of the warmest month (UVB3). Our results suggest that turtles with extended aestivation duration tend to have broader geographic distributions, as a result of enhanced tolerance to environmental stressors.</p>

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Aestivation and its relationship with the distribution of freshwater turtles and tortoises of the world: a comparative phylogenetic approach

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月12日

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  • Raúl López-Vivanco,
  • Clementina González,
  • Rodrigo Macip-Ríos

摘要

Aestivation and migration are among the adaptations that have evolved to cope with extreme or prolonged periods of drought in vertebrates. In reptiles, aestivation behavior and its duration are predicted to be influenced by environmental variables in response to harsh climatic conditions. Aestivation and/or migration could promote the ability of turtles to colonize new areas, which would be reflected in proportionally larger distributions for species that aestivate. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between aestivation behavior and environmental stressors. More specifically, the relationship between maximum aestivation days and distribution size as well as their interaction with environmental variables, in New World freshwater turtles and tortoises using a comparative phylogenetic context. Aestivation behavior was positively associated with maximum temperature of the warmest month (Bio5). Moreover, aestivating species had larger distributions compared to non-aestivating species. We found a relationship between distribution size and maximum aestivation days, with an influence of precipitation of the wettest month (Bio13), and mean UV-B radiation of the warmest month (UVB3). Our results suggest that turtles with extended aestivation duration tend to have broader geographic distributions, as a result of enhanced tolerance to environmental stressors.