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Gopherus Agassizii (Mojave Desert Tortoise). nest depredation

Megan Peukert·Gerardo Avila·William J. Hoese·Christopher R. Tracy·Philip L. Boyd·Kristy L. Cummings·Shellie R. Puffer·Jeffrey E. Lovich
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Abstract

Nest site selection is an important determinant of clutch success and hatchling sex ratios in Gopherus agassizii, Mojave Desert tortoises (Spotila et al. 1994. Herpetol. Monogr. 8:103-116). G. agassizii lay eggs in or near the entrance of their burrows (Ennen et al. 2012. Copeia 2012:222-228) and females of both G. agassizii and G. morafkai, may reduce egg predation risk by remaining at their burrows for days or weeks after oviposition, potentially protecting them from predators (Murray et al. 1996. Herpetological Natural History 4(1):83-88., Agha et al. 2013. Southwest. Nat. 58(2):254-257). Numerous species are known or suspected predators of desert tortoise eggs, including Vulpes macrotis (kit foxes), Spilogale gracilis (western spotted skunks), Mephitis mephitis (striped skunks), Taxidea taxus (badgers), Ammospermophilus leucurus (white-tailed antelope squirrels), Lynx rufus (bobcats), Canis latrans (coyotes), Masticophis flagellum (coachwhips), and Heloderma suspectum (Gila monsters) (Ernst & Lovich 2009. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 2:827). Here we report visitation and nest depredation at a Mojave Desert tortoise nest by multiple predators, and add a new documented species, the Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox), to the list of known predators on desert tortoise eggs.

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Megan Peukert, Gerardo Avila, William J. Hoese, Christopher R. Tracy, Philip L. Boyd, Kristy L. Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jeffrey E. Lovich. 2023. Gopherus Agassizii (Mojave Desert Tortoise). nest depredation. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70260158

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