Thermal Relations of Hibernating Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta

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Abstract
Reports that hibernating Chrysemys picta have body temperatures a few degrees warmer than the ambient mud and water temperatures were investigated by quantifying the thermal relations of turtles hibernating under simulated natural conditions. The deep body temperatures of eight hibernating Chrysemys were never higher or lower than environmental temperatures. Similar results were obtained from a dead control turtle. Therefore hibernating turtles do not exhibit endothermy or physiological temperature control. However, analysis of regression slopes of body temperature on environmental temperatures suggests the possibily of behavioral temperature control by exploiting a mud/water thermal gradient. Body temperatures of ectotherms in a heterogeneous thermal environment in the absence of solar radiation are composities of environmental temperatures.