Pathological Findings in Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) During an Unusual Mortality Event in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2016

2020 ◽  
Vol 178 ◽  
pp. 50-55
Author(s):  
P.C. Santos-Costa ◽  
A. Duarte-Benvenuto ◽  
K.R. Groch ◽  
J.L. Catão-Dias ◽  
J. Díaz-Delgado
2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 874-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara D. Ferguson ◽  
James F. X. Wellehan ◽  
Salvatore Frasca ◽  
Charles J. Innis ◽  
Heather S. Harris ◽  
...  

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 453 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROKSANA MAJEWSKA

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.


2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1572) ◽  
pp. 1547-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C James ◽  
Ransom A Myers ◽  
C. Andrea Ottensmeyer

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.


Author(s):  
Roberta Ramblas Zamana ◽  
Marco Aurélio Gattamorta ◽  
Pablo Felipe Cruz Ochoa ◽  
Pedro Enrique Navas‐Suárez ◽  
Carlos Sacristán ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1739-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya R. Graham ◽  
James T. Harvey ◽  
Scott R. Benson ◽  
Josiah S. Renfree ◽  
David A. Demer

Abstract Graham, T. R., Harvey, J. T., Benson, S. R., Renfree, J. S., and Demer, D. A. 2010. The acoustic identification and enumeration of scyphozoan jellyfish, prey for leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), off central California. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1739–1748. Acoustic-sampling techniques were developed to estimate the abundance and distribution of scyphozoan jellyfish, prey for leatherback turtles foraging off central California. Acoustic data were analysed from regions where jellyfish were present or absent from corresponding net tows. Empirical data on bell-diameter distribution (mean 26.2 cm; s.d. 10.6) were used to estimate target strength (TS; dB re 1 m2) at 18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz using a distorted-wave Born approximation scattering model. TS measurements of in situ animals at 38 and 200 kHz averaged −63.9 and −70.5 dB, compared with the model estimates of −54.9 and −64.0 dB, respectively. The model estimates of TS at 18, 70, and 120 kHz were −53.9, −59.9, and −61.8 dB, respectively. Using these TS estimates, an algorithm was developed to extract jellyfish echoes from total acoustic backscatter. Echo-integration methods applied to regions where net catches contained jellyfish resulted in an estimate of mean numerical abundance of 3217 jellyfish (s.d. 2276) with a mean density of 251 522 jellyfish nautical mile−2 (s.d. 57 504) and a mean concentration of 0.003 jellyfish m−3 (s.d. 0.002). The novel methods developed will help characterize prey resources for leatherback turtles off central California.


2007 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Harms ◽  
S. A. Eckert ◽  
S. A. Kubis ◽  
M. Campbell ◽  
D. H. Levenson ◽  
...  

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