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With populations declining across their geographic range, the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) is currently a species of conservation concern. Though broadly distributed, the species is particularly enigmatic at its southern periphery, and many aspects of its ecology and population biology in this portion of the range have either just recently been described or are currently unknown. One of the current knowledge gaps is a robust assessment of the population genetics of the southern populations. We collected tissue samples from 204 spotted turtles from 5 sites across South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida and used 11 microsatellite loci to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure in these populations. We found that southern populations exhibited low, but significant, population differentiation (mean FST = 0.062) and each site clustered as its own genetic group. Genetic diversity across sites was comparable to estimates reported for northern populations. Net effective population sizes were generally robust and no populations showed indication of recent bottlenecks. Our results suggest that populations inhabiting relatively intact environments do not appear to face immediate threats from past loss of genetic diversity. However, continued monitoring, both demographic and genetic, of this long-lived species is an important management goal to insure that continued global changes do not threaten population viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We inventoried the robber fly (Family Asilidae) fauna of 2 distinct Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) habitat types (mesic pine flatwoods, xeric sandhills) on a large, fire-managed landscape (Fort Stewart) located in the Coastal Plain of southeastern Georgia. We conducted aerial-net and sweep-net surveys at 30 sites on 111 dates from October 2020 to November 2022. We also sampled hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood communities. We collected a total of 380 robber flies comprising 25 genera and 62 species. We recorded 47 species from Longleaf Pine habitats, with 42 species collected from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills and 20 species from mesic Longleaf Pine flatwoods. Thirty-two species were found in hardwood habitats. Machimus polyphemi, a poorly known obligate commensal of Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) burrows, was found at 5 sites. Two species that we documented from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills, Machimus blantoni and Efferia slossonae, represent the first state records for Georgia. An Echthodopa cf. formosa population found in mesic pine flatwoods represents a significant range extension. Also, we report Stichopogon abdominalis from Georgia for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrochelys suwanniensis (Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle) is restricted to the Suwannee River drainage in Florida and Georgia. Over the last century, there have been scattered reports in the published and gray literature of M. suwanniensis sightings from the Okefenokee Swamp. This large wetland straddles the Georgia–Florida border and serves as the headwaters of the Suwannee River. Here, we discuss historic records of M. suwanniensis within the Okefenokee Swamp, provide details of recent sightings (2000–2021), including an extension of the known distribution to the northern portion of the swamp, and discuss the conservation and management implications of these observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses reproduction in the species Pseudobranchus Striatus. It mentions that for female P. striatus in southern Georgia, eggs develop in the ovary from January−October and egg deposition may occur throughout this period, with a possible hiatus in the hottest months of July and August. It states that oviposition period of mid-June–August has been reported for captive P. striatus.

The article focuses on the discovery of an adult female Nerodia erythrogaster containing 24 late-term embryos, shedding light on delayed parturition in this species, which typically gives birth in summer through early autumn, with parturition dates ranging from July to November.