Disease and Population Declines in the Flattened Musk Turtle Sternotherus depressus

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Abstract
Sipsey Fork in N-central Alabama [USA] contains the largest known population of the flattened musk turtle Sternotherus depressus, a species listed as threatened under U.S. federal law. Turtles from this stream were captured and examined in July 1986 in an attempt to determine the effects of a disease initially observed during surveys in 1985. The population declined by 50% from the end of June through late July 1985, but no additional decline was found in 1986. The size structure of the population was similar between years, although the sex ratio changed significantly. The trapping success ratio was less than in previous studies, but the relative capture success by station was similar to that observed in 1985. No severely diseased turtles were found in 1986, alghouth .apprx. 12.5% had mild symptoms and 17% appeared to have recovered. There was no sex bias in disease symptoms or recovery compared with the overall sex ratio. The disease was characterized by a mixed gram-negative septicemia most likely resulting from an imprpperly functioning immune system. Assessing the importance of disease to the population decline is compounded by the activities of commercial collectors who may have removed turtles from Sipsey Fork in July 1985.

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