Nesting activity of the neotropical turtle Phrynops hilarii Duméril & Bibron, 1835 was studied from Feb/94 through Jan/95, with weekly visits at the Lami Biological Reserve (30º15'S, 51º05'W), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Nesting behavior was observed 17 times on three different nest sites. Phrynops hilarii laid in average 11 eggs per clutch (10-14; sd±1; n=17), nests' depth ranged from 100 to 150 mm (x=121.53 mm.sd±12.31; n=17). The species presents stereotiped behaviour common to other Testudines. Temperature inside the nest, just after nesting, ranged between 20-31ºC (x=26.29ºC; sd±2.89; n=17); nest predation during this period was 82.35% (14 of 17 nests). From Aug/29 through Oct/03/95, 220 egg shells was collected next to 21 nests destructed by predators in the same sites. At the Reserve, the main nest predator is the nocturnal mammal Procyon cancrivorus Cuvier, 1798.
Testudines; Chelidae; Phrynops hilarii; egg predation; neotropical turtle; nesting behavior