The total span of reproductive years is difficult to determine; I am
unable to ascertain the age of a turtle that has stopped growing. No
clearly defined external characteristics of senility were discovered
in the populations studied. A male that I examined had one atrophied
testis. In another male both testes were shrunken and discolored and
appeared to be encased by fibrous tissue. Both males were large, well
past the age of regular growth, and had smoothly worn shells. Several
old females had seemingly inactive ovaries. Reproductive processes
probably continue throughout life in most members of the population,
although possibly at a somewhat reduced rate in later life.