Antipredatory strategies of leatherback sea turtles during internesting intervals on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Asada ◽  
SA Eckert ◽  
WH Hagey ◽  
RW Davis
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
Antipredatory Strategies ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles

Swim speed and movement patterns of gravid leatherback sea turtles(Dermochelys coriacea) at St Croix, US Virgin Islands

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (23) ◽  
pp. 3689-3697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Eckert
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Us Virgin Islands ◽  
The Us ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles ◽  
Distance Travel

SUMMARYSwim speed, dive behavior and movements were recorded for seven female leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli 1761) during a single internesting interval near St Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Modal speeds ranged from 0.56 to 0.84 m s-1, maximum speed range 1.9-2.8 m s-1. Turtles swam continuously throughout the day and night. There were two swim-speed patterns; the most common was slightly U-shaped,with high speeds at the initiation and conclusion of the dive, and the less common was continuous high-speed swimming. The U-shaped speed patterns were coincident with vertical diving by the turtles, while the second pattern occurred most frequently during the daytime, with the turtle swimming within 2 m of the surface. This latter swim behavior appeared to be designed to maximize efficiency for long-distance travel. The hypothesis that leatherbacks rest or bask at midday during their internesting interval is refuted by this study.

COCCIDIAL INFECTION OF THE ADRENAL GLANDS OF LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLES (DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA)

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 874-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara D. Ferguson ◽  
James F. X. Wellehan ◽  
Salvatore Frasca ◽  
Charles J. Innis ◽  
Heather S. Harris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adrenal Glands ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Coccidial Infection ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles

Tursiocola neliana sp. nov (Bacillariophyceae) epizoic on South African leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and new observations on the genus Tursiocola

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 453 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROKSANA MAJEWSKA
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Diatom Genus ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles ◽  
Internal Side

Tursiocola, a presumably exclusively epizoic diatom genus, comprises species found on various aquatic animals such as cetaceans, manatees, and marine and freshwater turtles. The genus is characterised by linear or lanceolate valves with well-developed pseudosepta at both poles, a valvocopula with three pairs of siliceous tabs, and a butterfly-like structure extending from the central nodule on the internal side of the valve. The current study describes a novel species of Tursiocola, T. neliana Majewska sp. nov. that grows epizoically on leatherback sea turtles from the Eastern Coast of South Africa based on detailed observations using light and scanning electron microscopy. The new taxon resembles the other currently known sea turtle-associated Tursiocola species in possessing relatively small, slightly heteropolar valves with acute apices and a strongly reduced butterfly structure on the internal side. However, T. neliana differs from all other members of the genus in being distinctly dorsiventral, with a clearly bowtie-shaped central area, unequal stria density on two sides of the raphe-sternum, and up to 8 areolae per stria. The description of the new taxon brings the total number of the sea turtle-associated Tursiocola species known so far up to four. An emended description of Tursiocola is proposed based on the new observations presented in this and other recent reports. Furthermore, the current understanding of the genus ecology is summarised.

Reproductive Biology of Atlantic Leatherback Sea Turtles at Sandy Point, St. Croix: The First 30 Years

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne A. Garner ◽  
Duncan S. MacKenzie ◽  
Delbert Gatlin
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles

scholarly journals Behaviour of leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea , during the migratory cycle

2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1572) ◽  
pp. 1547-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C James ◽  
Ransom A Myers ◽  
C. Andrea Ottensmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Behavioural Patterns ◽  
Nesting Behaviour ◽  
Migratory Cycle ◽  
Leatherback Sea Turtles ◽  
Migratory Patterns ◽  
Nesting Beaches

Leatherback sea turtles, Dermochelys coriacea , undertake broad oceanic movements. While satellite telemetry has been used to investigate the post-nesting behaviour of female turtles tagged on tropical nesting beaches, long-term behavioural patterns of turtles of different sexes and sizes have not been described. Here we investigate behaviour for 25 subadult and adult male and female turtles satellite-tagged in temperate waters off Nova Scotia, Canada. Although sex and reproductive condition contributed to variation in migratory patterns, the migratory cycle of all turtles included movement between temperate and tropical waters. Marked changes in rates of travel, and diving and surfacing behaviour, accompanied southward movement away from northern foraging areas. As turtles approached higher latitudes the following spring and summer, they assumed behaviours consistent with regular foraging activity and eventually settled in coastal areas off Canada and the northeastern USA. Behavioural patterns corresponding to various phases of the migratory cycle were consistent across multiple animals and were repeated within individuals that completed return movements to northern waters. We consider the potential biological significance of these patterns, including how turtle behaviour relates to predator avoidance, thermoregulation and prey distribution.

scholarly journals High rates of growth recorded for hawksbill sea turtles in Anegada, British Virgin Islands

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 1255-1266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy A. Hawkes ◽  
Andrew McGowan ◽  
Annette C. Broderick ◽  
Shannon Gore ◽  
Damon Wheatley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
British Virgin Islands ◽  
Rates Of Growth
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