scholarly journals Molecular Assessment of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 Infection in Tumor-Free Green (Chelonia mydas) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtles in North Carolina, USA, 2015–2019

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Page-Karjian ◽  
Maria E. Serrano ◽  
Jeffrey Cartzendafner ◽  
Ashley Morgan ◽  
Branson W. Ritchie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Green Turtles

Fibropapillomatosis is associated with chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) and tumor formation in sea turtles. We collected blood samples from 113 green (Chelonia mydas) and 112 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles without fibropapillomatosis, including 46 free-ranging turtles (20 green turtles, 26 loggerheads), captured in Core Sound, North Carolina, and 179 turtles (93 green turtles, 86 loggerheads) in rehabilitative care in North Carolina. Blood samples were analyzed for ChHV5 DNA using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and for antibodies to ChHV5 peptides using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). None of the samples from foraging turtles tested positive for ChHV5 by qPCR; ELISA was not used for foraging turtles. Samples from 18/179 (10.1%) rehabilitating turtles tested positive for ChHV5 using qPCR, and 32/56 (57.1%) rehabilitating turtles tested positive for antibodies to ChHV5 using ELISA. Five turtles that tested positive by qPCR or ELISA at admission converted to being undetectable during rehabilitation, and five that initially tested negative converted to being positive. Both sea turtle species were significantly more likely to test positive for ChHV5 using ELISA than with qPCR (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the proportions of green turtles versus loggerheads that tested positive for ChHV5 using qPCR, but loggerheads were significantly more likely than green turtles to test positive for ChHV5 using ELISA. This finding suggests that loggerheads infected with ChHV5 at some point in their life may be more able than green turtles to mount an effective immune response against recrudescent infection, pointing to species-specific genetic differences in the two species’ immune response to ChHV5 infection. This is the first study to analyze antibodies to ChHV5 in loggerhead turtles and represents the most complete dataset on ChHV5 DNA detection in sea turtles encountered in the more northern latitudes of their western Atlantic habitat.

scholarly journals Incidental capture of sea turtles by industrial bottom trawl fishery in the Tropical South-western Atlantic

2017 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1525-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzana Machado Guimarães ◽  
Davi Castro Tavares ◽  
Cassiano Monteiro-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Bottom Trawl ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Turtle Species

The five sea turtle species occurring in Brazilian waters are susceptible to threats, including incidental catches by fisheries. Studies on incidental captures in fishing gears are the main focus of several conservation actions due to high sea turtle fishery mortality worldwide. This study provides the first evaluation of incidental sea turtle catches by industrial bottom trawl fisheries operating in Brazilian waters. Four twin-trawler vessels were monitored between July 2010 and December 2011 by captains who voluntarily completed logbooks. Forty-four turtles were captured during the 1996 tows (8313 fishing hours), resulting in a catch of 5.3 ± 0.8 turtles per 1000 h per unit effort. Captured species included the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta, 22 individuals), olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea, 21 individuals) and one green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Water depth was the only variable that significantly affected sea turtle captures according to Generalized Linear Models. The capture rates reported in this study ranked sixth in relation to other published studies of similar fisheries occurring worldwide. Considering the importance of this region for sea turtles, the increasing evidence of sea turtle mortality and the goals of the National Action Plan for Conservation of Sea Turtles in Brazil, it is essential to identify the main threats towards these animals and propose mitigating solutions to reduce sea turtle mortality induced by fishing activities. This study provides results that may guide future research and goals in meeting sea turtle conservation strategies.

Increase of sea turtles stranding records in Rhodes Island (eastern Mediterranean Sea): update of a long-term survey

2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (7) ◽  
pp. 1991-2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Corsini-Foka ◽  
Gerasimos Kondylatos ◽  
Elias Santorinios
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtle ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Fishing Ground ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtles

A total of 209 strandings of sea turtles (152 loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta, 42 green turtles Chelonia mydas, 15 unidentified) were recorded during the period 1984–2011 along the coasts of Rhodes (Aegean Sea, Greece). The proportion of dead to live individuals was different in the two species. Stranded Caretta caretta were larger than Chelonia mydas. The size range of stranded green turtles, usually juveniles, appeared to increase since 2000, including the largest specimens ever observed in Greek waters. For both species, a tendency to strand more frequently on the west coast of the island, along fishing ground areas, was noted. The higher incidence of loggerhead turtle strandings was observed in summer, while more green turtle strandings were documented in winter. Factors involved in the increased trend of stranding records of both species, along with the acceleration of this phenomenon in the last decade, are discussed. Data from Rhodes provide evidence that human activities detrimentally affect mainly larger-sized loggerhead turtles living in shallow waters.

scholarly journals Ocular ultrasonography of sea turtles

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Muramoto ◽  
Vinícius Cardoso-Brito ◽  
Ana Cláudia Raposo ◽  
Thais Torres Pires ◽  
Arianne Pontes Oriá
Keyword(s):  
Anterior Chamber ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Corneal Thickness ◽  
Anterior Chamber Depth ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Turtle Species

Abstract Background Environmental changes contribute to the development of ophthalmic diseases in sea turtles, but information on their eye biometrics is scarce. The aim of this study was to describe ophthalmic ultrasonographic features of four different sea turtle species; Caretta caretta (Loggerhead turtle; n = 10), Chelonia mydas (Green turtle; n = 8), Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill turtle; n = 8) and Lepidochelys olivacea (Olive ridley; n = 6) under human care. Corneal thickness, scleral ossicle width and thickness, anterior chamber depth, axial length of the lens, vitreous chamber depth and axial globe length were measured by B-mode sonography with a linear transducer. Carapace size and animal weight were recorded. A sonographic description of the eye structures was established. Results The four species presented an ovate eyeball, a relatively thin cornea, and a small-sized lens positioned rostrally in the eye bulb, near the cornea, resulting in a shallow anterior chamber. The scleral ossicles did not prevent the evaluation of intraocular structures, even with a rotated eye or closed eyelids; image formation beyond the ossicles and measurements of all proposed structures were possible. B-mode sonography was easily performed in all animals studied. The sonographic characteristics of the eye were similar among the four species. Since there was a correlation between the size of the eye structures and the size of the individual, especially its carapace size, the differences found between E. imbricata and Caretta caretta are believed to be due to their overall difference in size. Conclusions Sonography is a valuable tool in ophthalmic evaluation of these species. Only minor differences were found between the species in this study, reinforcing their phylogenetic proximity and their similar functions and habitats.

Incidental catch of sea turtles by the Brazilian pelagic longline fishery

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 853-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilberto Sales ◽  
Bruno B. Giffoni ◽  
Paulo C.R. Barata
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
The South ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Incidental Catch

This paper presents data on the incidental catch of sea turtles in both the Brazilian exclusive economic zone and adjacent international waters (both areas are located mainly in the south-western Atlantic) by Brazilian commercial pelagic longliners targeting swordfish, tuna and sharks. Data were obtained by on-board observers for 311 trips carried out in 2001–2005, totalling 7385 sets and 11,348,069 hooks. A total of 1386 sea turtles were incidentally captured in the five years (some of them were considered dead at capture): 789 loggerheads (Caretta caretta), 341 leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), 45 green turtles (Chelonia mydas), 81 olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) and 130 of unknown species. Taking into account the distribution of the fishing effort in the study area and the incidental catch of sea turtles, four regions were highlighted for the analyses: Zone 1 is located off the northern Brazilian coast; Zone 2 is located off the central Brazilian coast; Zone 3 is the region off the southern Brazilian coast; and Zone 4, located in the open sea almost totally within international waters, is the region around a chain of undersea mountains known as the Rio Grande Rise (Elevação do Rio Grande). There is no information on the origin (nesting areas) of the captured olive ridleys, but there is some evidence, obtained through genetic and demographic analyses, that loggerheads, leatherbacks and green turtles inhabiting the open ocean around Brazil originate from nesting areas in several countries. Together with the fact that the south-western Atlantic is fished by longliners again from several countries, this places the conservation of sea turtles in that part of the ocean in an international context. Some conservation actions carried out by Brazil concerning the interaction between pelagic longlines and sea turtles in the study area are described.

scholarly journals Using Random Forest Algorithm to Model Cold Stunning Events in Sea Turtles in North Carolina

2020 ◽  
pp. 0000-0000
Author(s):  
Jennifer N Niemuth ◽  
Casey C Ransom ◽  
Sarah A Finn ◽  
Matthew H Godfrey ◽  
Stacy A.C. Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Change In Mean

Sea turtle strandings due to cold stunning are seen when turtles are exposed to ocean temperatures that acutely and persistently drop below approximately 12 °C. In North Carolina, this syndrome affects imperiled loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas, and Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtle species. Based on oceanic and meteorological patterns of cold stunning in sea turtles, we hypothesized that we could predict the daily size of cold stunning events in North Carolina using random forest models. We used cold stunning data from the North Carolina Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network from 2010-2015 and oceanic and meteorological data from the National Data Buoy Center from 2009-2015 to create a random forest model that explained 99% of the variance. We explored additional models using the 10 and 20 most important variables or only oceanic and meteorological variables. These models explained similar percentages of variance. The variables most frequently found to be important were related to air temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed. Surprisingly, variables associated with water temperature, which is critical from a biological perspective, were not among the most important variables identified. We also included variables for the mean change in these metrics daily from 4 days prior to the day of stranding. These variables were among the most important in several of our models, especially the change in mean air temperature from 4 days prior to stranding to the day of stranding. The importance of specific variables from our RF models can be used to guide the selection of future model predictors to estimate daily size of cold stunning events. We plan to apply the results of this study to a predictive model that can serve as a warning system and to a downscaled climate projection to determine the potential impact of climate change on cold stunning event size in the future.

scholarly journals The Effects of Feeding on Hematological and Plasma Biochemical Profiles in Green (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) Sea Turtles

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Anderson ◽  
Larry J. Minter ◽  
Elsburgh O. Clarke ◽  
Raymond M. Mroch ◽  
Jean F. Beasley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Plasma Biochemistry ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ◽  
Biochemical Profiles ◽  
Kemp's Ridley

In mammals, lipemic blood from sampling too soon after an animal feeds can have substantial effects on biochemical values. Plasma biochemical values in reptiles may be affected by species, age, season, and nutritional state. However, fasting status is not routinely considered when sampling reptile blood. In this paper, we evaluated 2-hour postprandial blood collection in two sea turtle species to investigate the effects of feeding on hematological and plasma biochemical values. Feeding had no significant effects on hematological values in either species, nor did it have an effect on plasma biochemistry values in Kemp's ridley sea turtles. In postprandial green turtles, total protein, albumin, ALP, AST, ALT, amylase, and cholesterol increased significantly, and chloride decreased significantly. Although statistically significant changes were observed, the median percent differences between pre- and postprandial values did not exceed 10% for any of these analytes and would not likely alter the clinical interpretation.

scholarly journals Evidence for Host Selectivity and Specialization by Epizoic Chelonibia Barnacles Between Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liberty L. Boyd ◽  
John D. Zardus ◽  
Courtney M. Knauer ◽  
Lawrence D. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Shell Growth ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Green Sea Turtles ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Microbial Biofilms ◽  
Host Relationships ◽  
Hawksbill Turtles

Epibionts are organisms that utilize the exterior of other organisms as a living substratum. Many affiliate opportunistically with hosts of different species, but others specialize on particular hosts as obligate associates. We investigated a case of apparent host specificity between two barnacles that are epizoites of sea turtles and illuminate some ecological considerations that may shape their host relationships. The barnacles Chelonibia testudinaria and Chelonibia caretta, though roughly similar in appearance, are separable by distinctions in morphology, genotype, and lifestyle. However, though each is known to colonize both green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles, C. testudinaria is &gt;5 times more common on greens, while C. caretta is &gt;300 times more common on hawksbills. Two competing explanations for this asymmetry in barnacle incidence are either that the species’ larvae are spatially segregated in mutually exclusive host-encounter zones or their distributions overlap and the larvae behaviorally select their hosts from a common pool. We indirectly tested the latter by documenting the occurrence of adults of both barnacle species in two locations (SE Florida and Nose Be, Madagascar) where both turtle species co-mingle. For green and hawksbill turtles in both locations (Florida: n = 32 and n = 275, respectively; Madagascar: n = 32 and n = 125, respectively), we found that C. testudinaria occurred on green turtles only (percent occurrence – FL: 38.1%; MD: 6.3%), whereas the barnacle C. caretta was exclusively found on hawksbill turtles (FL: 82.2%; MD: 27.5%). These results support the hypothesis that the larvae of these barnacles differentially select host species from a shared supply. Physio-biochemical differences in host shell material, conspecific chemical cues, external microbial biofilms, and other surface signals may be salient factors in larval selectivity. Alternatively, barnacle presence may vary by host micro-environment. Dissimilarities in scute structure and shell growth between hawksbill and green turtles may promote critical differences in attachment modes observed between these barnacles. In understanding the co-evolution of barnacles and hosts it is key to consider the ecologies of both hosts and epibionts in interpreting associations of chance, choice, and dependence. Further studies are necessary to investigate the population status and settlement spectrum of barnacles inhabiting sea turtles.

scholarly journals Dietary analysis of two sympatric marine turtle species in the eastern Mediterranean

2021 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie L. Palmer ◽  
Damla Beton ◽  
Burak A. Çiçek ◽  
Sophie Davey ◽  
Emily M. Duncan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Turtle Species ◽  
Dietary Shift ◽  
Green Turtles ◽  
Loggerhead Turtles

AbstractDietary studies provide key insights into threats and changes within ecosystems and subsequent impacts on focal species. Diet is particularly challenging to study within marine environments and therefore is often poorly understood. Here, we examined the diet of stranded and bycaught loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in North Cyprus (35.33° N, 33.47° E) between 2011 and 2019. A total of 129 taxa were recorded in the diet of loggerhead turtles (n = 45), which were predominantly carnivorous (on average 72.1% of dietary biomass), foraging on a large variety of invertebrates, macroalgae, seagrasses and bony fish in low frequencies. Despite this opportunistic foraging strategy, one species was particularly dominant, the sponge Chondrosia reniformis (21.5%). Consumption of this sponge decreased with increasing turtle size. A greater degree of herbivory was found in green turtles (n = 40) which predominantly consumed seagrasses and macroalgae (88.8%) with a total of 101 taxa recorded. The most dominant species was a Lessepsian invasive seagrass, Halophila stipulacea (31.1%). This is the highest percentage recorded for this species in green turtle diet in the Mediterranean thus far. With increasing turtle size, the percentage of seagrass consumed increased with a concomitant decrease in macroalgae. Seagrass was consumed year-round. Omnivory occurred in all green turtle size classes but reduced in larger turtles (> 75 cm CCL) suggesting a slow ontogenetic dietary shift. Macroplastic ingestion was more common in green (31.6% of individuals) than loggerhead turtles (5.7%). This study provides the most complete dietary list for marine turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.

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