When do Wood Turtles typically reach sexual maturity, and is the sex determined by temperature?
Answer
Between 14 and 20 years of age, and sex is determined genetically
The Wood Turtle exhibits a notably long maturation period before becoming sexually reproductive. Sexual maturity is generally reached late in life, occurring between 14 and 20 years of age, with females often requiring even longer. A crucial biological distinction for this species is that the determination of sex is managed genetically, unlike many other freshwater turtles whose sex ratios are dependent upon the incubation temperatures experienced by the eggs during development.
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