Prehatch Calls and Coordinated Birth in Turtles

• Published in: Ecology and evolution 2024-10, Vol.14 (10), p.e70410-n/a
• Main Authors: Jorgewich‐Cohen, Gabriel, Wheatley, Madeleine, Gaspar, Lucas Pacciullio, Praschag, Peter, Lubberink, Nicole Scholte, Ming, Keesha, Rodriguez, Nicholas A., Ferrara, Camila R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acoustic repertoire; Behavior; Behavioural Ecology; Birds; Calling behavior; Clutch size; Communication; Eggs; Embryos; Evolutionary Ecology; Functional Ecology; Geographical distribution; Hatching; Life History Ecology; nest emergence; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Physiology; Reproductive behavior; Reptiles & amphibians; Siblings; Sound production; Species; Synchronism; synchrony; Turtles; vocalisation; Vocalization behavior; Zoology
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70410

ABSTRACT Hatching synchronisation is widespread in oviparous taxa. It has been demonstrated that many species use sounds to coordinate synchronous hatching, being widespread among archosaurs (birds and crocodilians). Recent studies have shown that some turtle species produce vocalisations from within the egg, but the role of this behaviour in synchronising hatch is untested. The small amount of information about sound production by turtle embryos, limited to a handful of closely related species, precludes any inferences based on differences in their ecology, reproductive behaviour and phylogenetic context. With the goal to investigate if coordinated synchronous behaviour is mediated by within‐egg vocalisations in turtles, we recorded clutches from six different turtle species. The selected animals present different ecological and reproductive niches and belong to distinct phylogenetic lineages at the family level. We aimed to understand: (1) what is the phylogenetic distribution of within‐egg vocal behaviour among turtles; (2) if asynchronous turtle species vocalise from within the egg; (3) if clutch size influences synchronous behaviour and (4) if within‐egg turtle calls follow any phylogenetic signal. The new evidence provides light to the current knowledge about synchronous behaviour and within‐egg calls, challenging previous hypothesis that within‐egg sounds are accidentally produced as side‐effects of other behaviours. The study investigates the phylogenetic distribution of within‐egg vocal behaviour among turtles and its role in synchronous hatching. Clutches from six turtle species with diverse ecological and reproductive niches were recorded, aiming to understand if asynchronous species vocalise from within the egg, the influence of clutch size on synchronous behaviour and the presence of any phylogenetic signal in within‐egg turtle calls. The findings challenge previous hypotheses, suggesting that within‐egg sounds are not accidental side‐effects but may indeed mediate coordinated synchronous behaviour in turtles.