| surf and turf: predation by egg-eating snakes has led to the evolution of parental care in a terrestrial lizard. | animals display a great diversity of parental care tactics that ultimately enhance offspring survival, but how such behaviors evolve remains unknown for most systems. here, we studied the evolution of maternal care, in the form of nest guarding, in a single population of long-tailed sun skink (eutropis longicaudata) living on orchid island (taiwan). this species typically does not provide protection to its offspring. using a common garden experiment, we show that maternal care is genetically det ... | 2016 | 26915464 |
| molecular characterization of coccidia associated with an epizootic in green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) in south east queensland, australia. | in the spring of 2014, mass mortalities among wild green sea turtles occurred off the coast of south-east queensland, australia. the suspected causative agent was caryospora cheloniae, an eimeriid coccidian implicated in previous epizootics. necropsies were undertaken on a subset of 11 dead turtles, with subsequent histopathology and molecular analyses. all turtles returned positive pcr results for coccidial infection in various tissues; these included the brain, gastrointestinal tract, lung, ki ... | 2016 | 26901786 |
| examining the preference for shade structures in farmed green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) and shade's effect on growth and temperatures. | the cayman turtle farm raises thousands of green sea turtles ( chelonia mydas ) annually under aquaculture conditions. historically, the turtles have been raised in tanks without routine access to a shade structure. the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of adding a shade structure on curved carapace length (ccl) and weight gain of green sea turtles. in addition, water and cloacal temperatures were compared across treatment groups and shade cover preferences observed. ninety turt ... | 2017 | 28363077 |
| molecular epidemiology and pathology of spirorchiid infection in green sea turtles (chelonia mydas). | spirorchiid blood fluke infections affect endangered turtle populations globally, and are reported as a common cause of mortality in queensland green sea turtles. both the flukes and their ova are pathogenic and can contribute to the stranding or death of their host. of particular interest are ova-associated brain lesions, which have been associated with host neurological deficits. accurate estimations of disease frequency and the relative effect of infection relating to different spirorchiid sp ... | 2017 | 28331802 |
| hypothermic stunning of green sea turtles in a western gulf of mexico foraging habitat. | texas waters provide one of the most important developmental and foraging habitats for juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas) in the western gulf of mexico, but hypothermic stunning is a significant threat and was the largest cause of green turtle strandings in texas from 1980 through 2015; of the 8,107 green turtles found stranded, 4,529 (55.9%) were victims of hypothermic stunning. additionally, during this time, 203 hypothermic stunned green turtles were found incidentally captured due to po ... | 2017 | 28306747 |
| what is your diagnosis? blood film from a green turtle (chelonia mydas). | | 2017 | 28195654 |
| parasitic ulcerous caseous gastroesophagitis associated with rameshwarotrema uterocrescens rao, 1975 (digenea: pronocephalidae) in a juvenile green turtle [chelonia mydas, linnaeus 1758 (testudines: cheloniidae)]: a case report. | here we report a case of ulcerative caseous gastroesophagitis associated with rameshwarotrema uterocrescens; rao, 1975 (digenea: pronocephalidae) in a juvenile green turtle (chelonia mydas) from southern brazil. similar pathologies have been reported only in adult green turtles from costa rica. this paper presents the second report of parasitic esophagitis due r. uterocrescens and the first occurrence in juvenile green turtles along coastal brazil. | 2017 | 28122470 |
| pathologies of the digestive system caused by marine debris in chelonia mydas. | the growth of human population and deficient pollution control measures pose significant challenge to the environment. despite conservation efforts, all sea turtle species are at some risk of extinction. the present study investigated the effect of marine debris on the gastrointestinal tract of green turtles in southeastern brazil. of the 777 animals evaluated, 290 showed marine debris in one segment of the gastrointestinal tract. the presence of these materials in the gastrointestinal tract may ... | 2017 | 28069277 |
| individual-level behavioral responses of immature green turtles to snorkeler disturbance. | despite many positive benefits of ecotourism, increased human encounters with wildlife may have detrimental effects on wild animals. as charismatic megafauna, nesting and foraging sea turtles are increasingly the focus of ecotourism activities. the purpose of our study was to quantify the behavioral responses of immature green turtles (chelonia mydas) to disturbance by snorkelers, and to investigate whether turtles have individual-level responses to snorkeler disturbance. using a standardized di ... | 2017 | 28039527 |
| challenges in evaluating the severity of fibropapillomatosis: a proposal for objective index and score system for green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) in brazil. | fibropapillomatosis (fp) is a neoplastic disease that affects marine turtles worldwide, especially green sea turtles (chelonia mydas). fp tumors can develop on the body surface of marine turtles and also internally in the oral cavity and viscera. depending on their quantity, size and anatomical distribution, these tumors can interfere with hydrodynamics and the ability to feed, hence scoring systems have been proposed in an attempt to quantify the clinical manifestation of fp. in order to establ ... | 2016 | 27936118 |
| trace element reference intervals in the blood of healthy green sea turtles to evaluate exposure of coastal populations. | exposure to essential and non-essential elements may be elevated for green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) that forage close to shore. biomonitoring of trace elements in turtle blood can identify temporal trends over repeated sampling events, but any interpretation of potential health risks due to an elevated exposure first requires a comparison against a baseline. this study aims to use clinical reference interval (ri) methods to produce exposure baseline limits for essential and non-essential ele ... | 2017 | 27825845 |
| first record of fibropapillomatosis in a green turtle chelonia mydas from the baja california peninsula. | fibropapillomatosis (fp) is characterized by multiple fibroepithelial tumors in all parts of the skin and has been reported in sea turtles worldwide. clinically infected individuals are often emaciated and anemic. in mexico, however, there are few records of this disease. in this study of green turtles chelonia mydas in laguna san ignacio in baja california sur (bcs), we noted one juvenile with multifocal fibropapilloma lesions on the external upper surface of its eyes and hind flippers. light m ... | 2016 | 27786797 |
| green turtles (chelonia mydas) have novel asymmetrical antibodies. | igs in vertebrates comprise equally sized h and l chains, with exceptions such as h chain-only abs in camels or natural ag receptors in sharks. in reptilia, igs are known as igys. using immunoassays with isotype-specific mabs, in this study we show that green turtles (chelonia mydas) have a 5.7s 120-kda igy comprising two equally sized h/l chains with truncated fc and a 7s 200-kda igy comprised of two differently sized h chains bound to l chains and apparently often noncovalently associated with ... | 2015 | 26500346 |
| characterization of fibropapillomatosis in green turtles chelonia mydas (cheloniidae) captured in a foraging area in southeastern brazil. | fibropapillomatosis (fp) is a multifactorial disease that affects all species of marine turtles, including green turtles chelonia mydas (linnaeus, 1758). it is characterised by the development of internal or external tumours that, depending on their locations and sizes, may intensely impact the health condition of sea turtles. the goal of this study was to characterise the disease in c. mydas found in a foraging area in southeastern brazil, evaluate the prevalence in this region, and correlate p ... | 2016 | 27786161 |
| hearing in the juvenile green sea turtle (chelonia mydas): a comparison of underwater and aerial hearing using auditory evoked potentials. | sea turtles spend much of their life in aquatic environments, but critical portions of their life cycle, such as nesting and hatching, occur in terrestrial environments, suggesting that it may be important for them to detect sounds in both air and water. in this study we compared underwater and aerial hearing sensitivities in five juvenile green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) by measuring auditory evoked potential responses to tone pip stimuli. green sea turtles detected acoustic stimuli in both m ... | 2016 | 27741231 |
| occurrence of organochlorines in the green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) on the northern coast of the state of são paulo, brazil. | organochlorines (ocs), such as pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), are persistent, toxic and widely distributed through atmospheric transport and ocean currents. few studies have been conducted on ocs in sea turtles, especially on the coast of brazil. chelonia mydas is the largest hard-shell sea turtle and is found tropical and subtropical regions in all oceans. the aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of ocs in the green sea turtle (c. mydas). fat, liver, kidney ... | 2016 | 27519756 |
| health condition of juvenile chelonia mydas related to fibropapillomatosis in southeast brazil. | packed cell volume (pcv), plasma biochemistry, visual body condition (bc), and calculated body condition index (bci) were evaluated in 170 wild juvenile green sea turtles chelonia mydas from an aggregation in the effluent canal of a steel mill in brazil. occurrence of cutaneous fibropapillomatosis (fp) was observed in 44.1% of the animals examined. bci alone did not differ significantly between healthy animals and those afflicted with fp. however, all turtles with low bci were severely afflicted ... | 2015 | 26290504 |
| the anti-predator role of within-nest emergence synchrony in sea turtle hatchlings. | group formation is a common behaviour among prey species. in egg-laying animals, despite the various factors that promote intra-clutch variation leading to asynchronous hatching and emergence from nests, synchronous hatching and emergence occurs in many taxa. this synchrony may be adaptive by reducing predation risk, but few data are available in any natural system, even for iconic examples of the anti-predator function of group formation. here, we show for the first time that increased group si ... | 2016 | 27383817 |
| metal contents of marine turtle eggs (chelonia mydas; lepidochelys olivacea) from the tropical eastern pacific and the implications for human health. | concentrations of eight elements were measured in chelonia mydas and lepidochelys olivacea eggs collected along the pacific coast of panama. manganese (mn), iron (fe), copper (cu), zinc (zn), arsenic (as), cadmium (cd), and mercury (hg) concentrations were similar to previous reports of these species from around the world, while lead (pb) was lower than previous reports. cd posed the highest health risk to people who regularly eat the eggs, with average consumption rates leading to target hazard ... | 2016 | 27323656 |
| artificial light on water attracts turtle hatchlings during their near shore transit. | we examined the effect of artificial light on the near shore trajectories of turtle hatchlings dispersing from natal beaches. green turtle (chelonia mydas) hatchlings were tagged with miniature acoustic transmitters and their movements tracked within an underwater array of 36 acoustic receivers placed in the near shore zone. a total of 40 hatchlings were tracked, 20 of which were subjected to artificial light during their transit of the array. at the same time, we measured current speed and dire ... | 2016 | 27293795 |
| synchronous activity lowers the energetic cost of nest escape for sea turtle hatchlings. | a potential advantage of group movement in animals is increased locomotion efficiency. this implies a reduced energetic cost for individuals that occur in larger groups such as herds, flocks and schools. when chelonian hatchlings hatch in the underground nest with finite energy for their post-hatching dispersal phase, they face the challenge of minimizing energetic expenditure while escaping the nest. the term 'social facilitation' has been used to describe the combined digging effort of sea tur ... | 2016 | 27207954 |
| turtle mimetic soft robot with two swimming gaits. | this paper presents a biomimetic turtle flipper actuator consisting of a shape memory alloy composite structure for implementation in a turtle-inspired autonomous underwater vehicle. based on the analysis of the chelonia mydas, the flipper actuator was divided into three segments containing a scaffold structure fabricated using a 3d printer. according to the filament stacking sequence of the scaffold structure in the actuator, different actuating motions can be realized and three different types ... | 2016 | 27145061 |
| validation of back-calculated body lengths and timing of growth mark deposition in hawaiian green sea turtles. | somatic growth rate data for wild sea turtles can provide insight into life-stage durations, time to maturation, and total lifespan. when appropriately validated, the technique of skeletochronology allows prior growth rates of sea turtles to be calculated with considerably less time and labor than required by mark--recapture studies. we applied skeletochronology to 10 dead, stranded green turtles chelonia mydas that had previously been measured, tagged, and injected with otc (oxytetracycline) du ... | 2016 | 27096079 |
| multi-modal homing in sea turtles: modeling dual use of geomagnetic and chemical cues in island-finding. | sea turtles are capable of navigating across large expanses of ocean to arrive at remote islands for nesting, but how they do so has remained enigmatic. an interesting example involves green turtles (chelonia mydas) that nest on ascension island, a tiny land mass located approximately 2000 km from the turtles' foraging grounds along the coast of brazil. sensory cues that turtles are known to detect, and which might hypothetically be used to help locate ascension island, include the geomagnetic f ... | 2016 | 26941625 |
| first record of hybridization between green chelonia mydas and hawksbill eretmochelys imbricata sea turtles in the southeast pacific. | hybridization among sea turtle species has been widely reported in the atlantic ocean, but their detection in the pacific ocean is limited to just two individual hybrid turtles, in the northern hemisphere. herein, we report, for the first time in the southeast pacific, the presence of a sea turtle hybrid between the green turtle chelonia mydas and the hawksbill turtle eretmochelys imbricata. this juvenile sea turtle was captured in northern peru (4°13's; 81°10'w) on the 5(th) of january, 2014. t ... | 2016 | 26925333 |
| effects of "swim with the turtles" tourist attractions on green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) health in barbados, west indies. | along the west coast of barbados a unique relationship has developed between endangered green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) and humans. fishermen began inadvertently provisioning these foraging turtles with fish offal discarded from their boats. although initially an indirect supplementation, this activity became a popular attraction for visitors. subsequently, demand for this activity increased, and direct supplementation or provisioning with food began. food items offered included raw whole fis ... | 2016 | 26845294 |
| male hatchling production in sea turtles from one of the world's largest marine protected areas, the chagos archipelago. | sand temperatures at nest depths and implications for hatchling sex ratios of hawksbill turtles (eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (chelonia mydas) nesting in the chagos archipelago, indian ocean are reported and compared to similar measurements at rookeries in the atlantic and caribbean. during 2012-2014, temperature loggers were buried at depths and in beach zones representative of turtle nesting sites. data collected for 12,546 days revealed seasonal and spatial patterns of sand tempe ... | 2016 | 26832230 |
| pre-soaking of the feed pellets: a trick for successful feed utilization in juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758). | pre-soaking of the feed pellets in water can improve feed utilization in juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758), but the pre-soaking has not previously been optimized. this study aimed to optimize the water amount used for pre-soaking the pellets. the experiments followed a completely randomized design with three replications of each dietary treatment group. initially 10-day-old green turtles (20-22 g body weight) were treated in an indoor aquaculture system for 3 months. the die ... | 2017 | 26790983 |
| asymmetry of righting reflexes in sea turtles and its behavioral correlates. | the righting responses, when the animal rights itself over one side of the body after been overturned on the back, are one of the simplest ways to test for laterality, especially in lower vertebrates. in anuran amphibians unilateral preferences in righting responses correlated to the degree of the use of alternating-limb (asynchronous) movements during locomotion. turtles is one of the underrepresented vertebrate groups in the studies of laterality, while possess also different types of locomoti ... | 2016 | 26772421 |
| mixed-stock analysis in green turtles chelonia mydas: mtdna decipher current connections among west atlantic populations. | the green turtle chelonia mydas undertakes wide-ranging migrations between feeding and nesting sites, resulting in mixing and isolation of genetic stocks. we used mtdna control region to characterize the genetic composition, population structure, and natal origins of c. mydas in the west atlantic ocean, at one feeding ground (state of rio de janeiro, brazil), and three caribbean nesting grounds (french guiana, guadeloupe, and suriname). the feeding ground presented considerable frequency of comm ... | 2017 | 26679241 |
| impact of jaguar panthera onca (carnivora: felidae) predation on marine turtle populations in tortuguero, caribbean coast of costa rica. | little is known about the effects of jaguars on the population of marine turtles nesting in tortuguero national park, costa rica. this study assessed jaguar predation impact on three species of marine turtles (chelonia mydas, dermochelys coriacea and eretmochelys imbricata) that nest in tortuguero beach. jaguar predation data was obtained by using two methodologies, literature review (historical records prior the year 2005) and weekly surveys along the 29 km stretch of beach during the period 20 ... | 2015 | 26666135 |
| metal contamination as a possible etiology of fibropapillomatosis in juvenile female green sea turtles chelonia mydas from the southern atlantic ocean. | environmental contaminants have been suggested as a possible cause of fibropapillomatosis (fp) in green sea turtles. in turn, a reduced concentration of serum cholesterol has been indicated as a reliable biomarker of malignancy in vertebrates, including marine turtles. in the present study, metal (ag, cd, cu, fe, ni, pb and zn) concentrations, oxidative stress parameters [antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (acap), protein carbonyls (pc), lipid peroxidation (lpo), frequency of micronuc ... | 2016 | 26615366 |
| nest inundation from sea-level rise threatens sea turtle population viability. | contemporary sea-level rise will inundate coastal habitats with seawater more frequently, disrupting the life cycles of terrestrial fauna well before permanent habitat loss occurs. sea turtles are reliant on low-lying coastal habitats worldwide for nesting, where eggs buried in the sand remain vulnerable to inundation until hatching. we show that saltwater inundation directly lowers the viability of green turtle eggs (chelonia mydas) collected from the world's largest green turtle nesting rooker ... | 2015 | 26587269 |
| navigating the flow: individual and continuum models for homing in flowing environments. | navigation for aquatic and airborne species often takes place in the face of complicated flows, from persistent currents to highly unpredictable storms. hydrodynamic models are capable of simulating flow dynamics and provide the impetus for much individual-based modelling, in which particle-sized individuals are immersed into a flowing medium. these models yield insights on the impact of currents on population distributions from fish eggs to large organisms, yet their computational demands and i ... | 2015 | 26538557 |
| green turtle (chelonia mydas) genetic diversity at paranaguá estuarine complex feeding grounds in brazil. | sea turtles are marine reptiles that undertake long migrations through their life, with limited information regarding juvenile stages. feeding grounds (fgs), where they spend most of their lives, are composed by individuals from different natal origins, known as mixed stock populations. the aim of this study was to assess genetic composition, natal origins and demographic history of juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas) at the paranaguá estuarine complex (pec), brazil, considered a natural wor ... | 2017 | 26500439 |
| first assessment of the sex ratio for an east pacific green sea turtle foraging aggregation: validation and application of a testosterone elisa. | determining sex ratios of endangered populations is important for wildlife management, particularly species subject to sex-specific threats or that exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination. sea turtle sex is determined by incubation temperature and individuals lack external sex-based traits until sexual maturity. previous research utilized serum/plasma testosterone radioimmunoassays (ria) to determine sex in immature/juvenile sea turtles. however, there has been a growing application of e ... | 2015 | 26465620 |
| optimal feeding frequency of captive head-started green turtles (chelonia mydas). | optimal feeding frequency was investigated to improve head-started propagation programme of juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas). the 15-day-old turtles (25-26 g body weight) were fed for ad libitum intake at one (1md), two (2md), three (3md) or four (4md) meals daily over a 3-month trial. responses in growth, feed utilization, faecal characteristics, haematological parameters and carapace elemental composition were used to compare treatment effects. at the end of the feeding trial, no treatm ... | 2016 | 27666941 |
| terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for the identification of spirorchiid ova in tissues from the green sea turtle, chelonia mydas. | blood flukes are among the most common disease causing pathogens infecting vertebrates, including humans and some of the world's most globally endangered fauna. spirorchiid blood flukes are parasites of marine turtles, and are associated with pathology, strandings and mortalities worldwide. their ova embolize in tissues and incite significant inflammatory responses, however attempts to draw correlations between species and lesions are frustrated by difficulties in identifying ova beyond the genu ... | 2016 | 27579605 |
| optimal-rearing density for head-starting green turtles (chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758). | while ex situ conservation programs of juvenile green turtles (chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758), before release to natural habitats, have been conducted in several countries, the optimal-stocking density for husbandry has not yet been reported. the optimization of stocking density was the main purpose of this study. the 15-day-old post-hatching turtles (29.30 ± 0.05 g body weight) were reared in round fiberglass tanks at various stocking densities including 20 turtles/m(3) (20tm), 40 turtles/m(3) ... | 2016 | 27533652 |
| clinical and pathological findings in green turtles (chelonia mydas) from gladstone, queensland: investigations of a stranding epidemic. | an investigation into the health of green turtles was undertaken near gladstone, queensland, in response to a dramatic increase in stranding numbers in the first half of 2011. a total of 56 live turtles were subject to clinical examination and blood sampling for routine blood profiles, and 12 deceased turtles underwent a thorough necropsy examination. this population of green turtles was found to be in poor body condition and a range of infectious and non-infectious conditions were identified in ... | 2015 | 25256011 |
| histology and immunohistochemistry of the cardiac ventricular structure in the green turtle (chelonia mydas). | this study describes the implications of cardiac ventricular microscopy in chelonia mydas relating to its ability to dive. for this work, 11 specimens of the marine turtle species c. mydas found dead on the coast of rio grande do norte (northeast brazil) were used. after necropsy, fragments of the cardiac ventricular wall were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde solution for 24 h and then subjected to routine processing for light and scanning electron microscopy (sem). the ventricle in this speci ... | 2016 | 26268418 |
| food preferences and hg distribution in chelonia mydas assessed by stable isotopes. | mercury (hg) is a highly toxic pollutant that poses in risk several marine animals, including green turtles (chelonia mydas). green turtles are globally endangered sea turtle species that occurs in brazilian coastal waters as a number of life stage classes (i.e., foraging juveniles and nesting adults). we assessed total hg concentrations and isotopic signatures ((13)c and (15)n) in muscle, kidney, liver and scute of juvenile green turtles and their food items from two foraging grounds with diffe ... | 2015 | 26196313 |
| does polyandry really pay off? the effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at tortuguero. | despite the long debate of whether or not multiple mating benefits the offspring, studies still show contradictory results. multiple mating takes time and energy. thus, if females fertilize their eggs with a single mating, why to mate more than once? we investigated and inferred paternal identity and number of sires in 12 clutches (240 hatchlings) of green turtles (chelonia mydas) nests at tortuguero, costa rica. paternal alleles were inferred through comparison of maternal and hatchling genotyp ... | 2015 | 25870773 |
| direct evidence of swimming demonstrates active dispersal in the sea turtle "lost years". | although oceanic dispersal in larval and juvenile marine animals is widely studied, the relative contributions of swimming behavior and ocean currents to movements and distribution are poorly understood [1-4]. the sea turtle "lost years" [5] (often referred to as the surface-pelagic [6] or oceanic [7] stage) are a classic example. upon hatching, young turtles migrate offshore and are rarely observed until they return to coastal waters as larger juveniles [5]. sightings of small turtles downcurre ... | 2015 | 25866396 |
| trace elements distribution in hawksbill turtle (eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtle (chelonia mydas) tissues on the northern coast of bahia, brazil. | concentrations of elements (as, al, ba, ca, cd, co, cr, cu, fe, hg, k, mg, mn, mo, na, ni, pb, sb, se, sr, v, zn) were determined in liver, kidneys and bones of eretmochelys imbricata and chelonia mydas specimens found stranded along the northern coast of bahia, brazil. results showed that the concentrations of cd, cu, ni and zn in the liver and kidneys of juvenile c. mydas were the highest found in brazil. we also observed a significant difference (p<0.05) on the bioaccumulation of trace elemen ... | 2015 | 25796544 |
| debris ingestion by juvenile marine turtles: an underestimated problem. | marine turtles are an iconic group of endangered animals threatened by debris ingestion. however, key aspects related to debris ingestion are still poorly known, including its effects on mortality and the original use of the ingested debris. therefore, we analysed the impact of debris ingestion in 265 green turtles (chelonia mydas) over a large geographical area and different habitats along the brazilian coast. we determined the death rate due to debris ingestion and quantified the amount of deb ... | 2015 | 25749316 |
| morphological and physiological responses of seagrasses (alismatales) to grazers (testudines: cheloniidae) and the role of these responses as grazing patch abandonment cues. | green sea turtles, chelonia mydas, are grazers influencing the distribution of seagrass within shallow coastal ecosystems, yet the drivers behind c. mydas patch use within seagrass beds are largely unknown. current theories center on food quality (nutrient content) as the plant responds to grazing disturbances; however, no study has monitored these parameters in a natural setting without grazer manipulation. to determine the morphological and physiological responses potentially influencing seagr ... | 2014 | 25720186 |
| habitat features influencing jaguar panthera onca (carnivora: felidae) occupancy in tortuguero national park, costa rica. | habitat characteristics and human activities are known to play a major role in the occupancy of jaguars panthera onca across their range, however the key variables influencing jaguar distribution in tortuguero national park, costa rica, have yet to be identified. this study evaluated jaguar occupancy in tortuguero national park and the surrounding area. jaguar detection/non-detection data was collected using digital camera traps distributed within the boundaries of the protected area. local comm ... | 2014 | 25720179 |
| a multi-element screening method to identify metal targets for blood biomonitoring in green sea turtles (chelonia mydas). | biomonitoring of blood is commonly used to identify and quantify occupational or environmental exposure to chemical contaminants. increasingly, this technique has been applied to wildlife contaminant monitoring, including for green turtles, allowing for the non-lethal evaluation of chemical exposure in their nearshore environment. the sources, composition, bioavailability and toxicity of metals in the marine environment are, however, often unknown and influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic fa ... | 2015 | 25655987 |
| multinational tagging efforts illustrate regional scale of distribution and threats for east pacific green turtles (chelonia mydas agassizii). | to further describe movement patterns and distribution of east pacific green turtles (chelonia mydas agassizii) and to determine threat levels for this species within the eastern pacific. in order to do this we combined published data from existing flipper tagging and early satellite tracking studies with data from an additional 12 satellite tracked green turtles (1996-2006). three of these were tracked from their foraging grounds in the gulf of california along the east coast of the baja califo ... | 2015 | 25646803 |
| trade-offs among catch, bycatch, and landed value in the american samoa longline fishery. | the interspecific preferences of fishes for different depths and habitats suggest fishers could avoid unwanted catches of some species while still effectively targeting other species. in pelagic longline fisheries, albacore (thunnus alalunga) are often caught in relatively cooler, deeper water (>100 m) than many species of conservation concern (e.g., sea turtles, billfishes, and some sharks) that are caught in shallower water (<100 m). from 2007 to 2011, we examined the depth distributions of ho ... | 2014 | 24628499 |
| marine debris ingestion by chelonia mydas (testudines: cheloniidae) on the brazilian coast. | chelonia mydas is distributed in several regions of the world and they are common in coastal regions and around islands. between august 2008 and july 2009, 20 specimens of c. mydas were found dead on the beaches of ubatuba, são paulo, brazil. the stomachs were removed and anthropogenic wastes were separated according their malleability and color. of those animals, nine had ingested marine debris. soft plastic was the most frequent among the samples and the majority of fragments was white or colo ... | 2015 | 25638049 |
| terrestrial basking sea turtles are responding to spatio-temporal sea surface temperature patterns. | naturalists as early as darwin observed terrestrial basking in green turtles (chelonia mydas), but the distribution and environmental influences of this behaviour are poorly understood. here, we examined 6 years of daily basking surveys in hawaii and compared them with the phenology of local sea surface temperatures (sst). data and models indicated basking peaks when sst is coolest, and we found this timeline consistent with bone stress markings. next, we assessed the decadal sst profiles for th ... | 2015 | 25589483 |
| comparison of organochlorine pesticides and pcb residues among hawksbill (eretmochelys imbricata) and green (chelonia mydas) turtles in the yucatan peninsula and their maternal transfer. | organochlorine pesticides and pcb (pops) concentrations were determined in the blood and eggs of green and hawksbill turtles. we compared concentrations between species, analyzed the relationship between turtle size and the pops concentrations and the relationship between the concentrations in the blood of the nesting turtles and their eggs. we expected higher concentrations in the hawksbill turtle because of its higher trophic level, but concentrations were not higher in all the cases. signific ... | 2015 | 25549825 |
| establishment of reference intervals for plasma protein electrophoresis in indo-pacific green sea turtles, chelonia mydas. | biochemical and haematological parameters are increasingly used to diagnose disease in green sea turtles. specific clinical pathology tools, such as plasma protein electrophoresis analysis, are now being used more frequently to improve our ability to diagnose disease in the live animal. plasma protein reference intervals were calculated from 55 clinically healthy green sea turtles using pulsed field electrophoresis to determine pre-albumin, albumin, α-, β- and γ-globulin concentrations. the esti ... | 2015 | 27293722 |
| reproductive biology and genetic diversity of the green turtle (chelonia mydas) in vamizi island, mozambique. | vamizi, an island located in the western indian ocean, is visited by a small and not fully characterized green turtle (chelonia mydas (l.)) population. this population is threatened by natural hazards and several human activities, which are used to identify conservation priorities for marine turtles. it was our aim to contribute to the knowledge of marine turtles that nest in vamizi, with respect to its regional management, and to an area that may possibly be included on the unesco world heritag ... | 2014 | 26034669 |
| population structure and phylogeography reveal pathways of colonization by a migratory marine reptile (chelonia mydas) in the central and eastern pacific. | climate, behavior, ecology, and oceanography shape patterns of biodiversity in marine faunas in the absence of obvious geographic barriers. marine turtles are an example of highly migratory creatures with deep evolutionary lineages and complex life histories that span both terrestrial and marine environments. previous studies have focused on the deep isolation of evolutionary lineages (>3 mya) through vicariance; however, little attention has been given to the pathways of colonization of the eas ... | 2014 | 25540693 |
| morphology and water permeability of red blood cells from green sea turtle (chelonia mydas). | the morphology and diffusional water permeability (p d) of red blood cells (rbcs) from green sea turtle (gst) (chelonia mydas) are presented for the first time. the rbcs had an ellipsoidal shape with full-axis lengths (diameters): d = 14.4 μm; d = 10.2 μm; h = 2.8 μm. the values of p d (cm s(-1)) were 5.1 × 10(-3) at 15 °c, 5.7 × 10(-3) at 20 °c, 6.3 × 10(-3) at 25 °c, 6.8 × 10(-3) at 30 °c, and 7.9 × 10(-3) at 37 °c (i.e., significantly higher than in human rbcs in which it was measured to be 4 ... | 2015 | 25534259 |
| fast growing, healthy and resident green turtles (chelonia mydas) at two neritic sites in the central and northern coast of peru: implications for conservation. | in order to enhance protection and conservation strategies for endangered green turtles (chelonia mydas), the identification of neritic habitats where this species aggregates is mandatory. herein, we present new information about the population parameters and residence time of two neritic aggregations from 2010 to 2013; one in an upwelling dominated site (paracas ∼14°s) and the other in an ecotone zone from upwelling to warm equatorial conditions (el ñuro ∼4°s) in the southeast pacific. we predi ... | 2014 | 25409240 |
| selected heavy metals and selenium in the blood of black sea turtle (chelonia mydas agasiizzi) from sonora, mexico. | the concentration of heavy metals (zn, cd, ni, cu, mn) and selenium (se) was analyzed in blood collected from 12 black turtles (chelonia mydas agasiizzi) captured in canal del infiernillo, punta chueca, mexico. the most abundant metals were zn (63.58 μg g(-1)) and se (7.66 μg g(-1)), and cd was the lower (0.99 μg g(-1)). the sequential concentrations of trace metals were zn > se > cu > mn > ni > cd. in conclusion, this information is important as a baseline when using blood as tissue analysis of ... | 2013 | 24072261 |
| global distribution of chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus among clinically healthy sea turtles. | fibropapillomatosis (fp) is a neoplastic disease characterized by cutaneous tumours that has been documented to infect all sea turtle species. chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus (cfphv) is believed to be the aetiological agent of fp, based principally on consistent pcr-based detection of herpesvirus dna sequences from fp tumours. we used a recently described pcr-based assay that targets 3 conserved cfphv genes, to survey 208 green turtles (chelonia mydas). this included both fp tumou ... | 2014 | 25342462 |
| factors influencing survivorship of rehabilitating green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) with fibropapillomatosis. | marine turtle fibropapillomatosis (fp) is a debilitating, infectious neoplastic disease that has reached epizootic proportions in several tropical and subtropical populations of green turtles (chelonia mydas). fp represents an important health concern in sea turtle rehabilitation facilities. the objectives of this study were to describe the observed epidemiology, biology, and survival rates of turtles affected by fp (fp+ turtles) in a rehabilitation environment; to evaluate clinical parameters a ... | 2014 | 25314817 |
| surfacers change their dive tactics depending on the aim of the dive: evidence from simultaneous measurements of breaths and energy expenditure. | air-breathing divers are assumed to have evolved to apportion their time between surface and underwater periods to maximize the benefit gained from diving activities. however, whether they change their time allocation depending on the aim of the dive is still unknown. this may be particularly crucial for 'surfacers' because they dive for various purposes in addition to foraging. in this study, we counted breath events at the surface and estimated oxygen consumption during resting, foraging and o ... | 2014 | 25297856 |
| dispersal and diving adjustments of the green turtle chelonia mydas in response to dynamic environmental conditions during post-nesting migration. | in response to seasonality and spatial segregation of resources, sea turtles undertake long journeys between their nesting sites and foraging grounds. while satellite tracking has made it possible to outline their migration routes, we still have little knowledge of how they select their foraging grounds and adapt their migration to dynamic environmental conditions. here, we analyzed the trajectories and diving behavior of 19 adult green turtles (chelonia mydas) during their post-nesting migratio ... | 2015 | 26398528 |
| helminth parasites of juvenile green turtles chelonia mydas (testudines: cheloniidae) in brazil. | the present study offers a parasitological analysis of juvenile individuals of the green turtle ( chelonia mydas ) found on the brazilian coast between 2004 and 2011. helminths were found in 90 out of 136 individuals (66.2%, ci = 57.7-74.0). in total, 29,411 helminths were collected, belonging to the families brachycoeliidae, cladorchiidae, microscaphidiidae, pronocephalidae, rhytidodidae, and spirorchiidae. mean species richness was 4.74 (ci = 4.03-5.46), the mean intensity was 327 (ci = 223-48 ... | 2015 | 26312398 |
| eutrophication and the dietary promotion of sea turtle tumors. | the tumor-forming disease fibropapillomatosis (fp) has afflicted sea turtle populations for decades with no clear cause. a lineage of α-herpesviruses associated with these tumors has existed for millennia, suggesting environmental factors are responsible for its recent epidemiology. in previous work, we described how herpesviruses could cause fp tumors through a metabolic influx of arginine. we demonstrated the disease prevails in chronically eutrophied coastal waters, and that turtles foraging ... | 2014 | 25289187 |
| how marine debris ingestion differs among megafauna species in a tropical coastal area. | the marine debris ingested by megafauna species (trichiurus lepturus, chelonia mydas, pontoporia blainvillei, and sotalia guianensis) was recorded in a coastal area of southeastern brazil (21-23°s). marine debris was recorded in all species, mainly consisting of plastic material (flexible and hard plastics - clear, white, and colored- and nylon filaments). the 'pelagic predators' t. lepturus and s. guianesis showed the lowest percent frequencies of debris ingestion (0.7% and 1.3%, respectively), ... | 2014 | 25256299 |
| relating fibropapilloma tumor severity to blood parameters in green turtles chelonia mydas. | fibropapillomatosis is a neoplastic disease that is commonly found in the green turtles chelonia mydas in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. in the current project, juvenile green turtles were captured with large-mesh tangle nets in the indian river lagoon and on nearshore reefs of indian river county, florida, usa, in 1998 and 1999. the purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between the severity of the disease and the general health of green turtles as indicated by b ... | 2014 | 25144118 |
| use of long-distance migration patterns of an endangered species to inform conservation planning for the world's largest marine protected area. | large marine protected areas (mpas), each hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, have been set up by governments around the world over the last decade as part of efforts to reduce ocean biodiversity declines, yet their efficacy is hotly debated. the chagos archipelago mpa (640,000 km(2) ) (indian ocean) lies at the heart of this debate. we conducted the first satellite tracking of a migratory species, the green turtle (chelonia mydas), within the mpa and assessed the species' use of protect ... | 2014 | 25039538 |
| the draft genomes of soft-shell turtle and green sea turtle yield insights into the development and evolution of the turtle-specific body plan. | the unique anatomical features of turtles have raised unanswered questions about the origin of their unique body plan. we generated and analyzed draft genomes of the soft-shell turtle (pelodiscus sinensis) and the green sea turtle (chelonia mydas); our results indicated the close relationship of the turtles to the bird-crocodilian lineage, from which they split ∼267.9-248.3 million years ago (upper permian to triassic). we also found extensive expansion of olfactory receptor genes in these turtl ... | 2013 | 23624526 |
| tracing the biosynthetic source of essential amino acids in marine turtles using delta13c fingerprints. | plants, bacteria, and fungi produce essential amino acids (eaas) with distinctive patterns of delta13c values that can be used as naturally occurring fingerprints of biosynthetic origin of eaas in a food web. because animals cannot synthesize eaas and must obtain them from food, their tissues reflect delta13c(eaa) patterns found in diet, but it is not known how microbes responsible for hindgut fermentation in some herbivores influence the delta13c values of eaas in their hosts' tissues. we exami ... | 2014 | 25000760 |
| electrochemotherapy for the treatment of fibropapillomas in chelonia mydas. | fibropapillomatosis continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in sea turtles, particularly in chelonia mydas. turtles with this debilitating herpesvirus disease usually present with multiple, large, and ulcerated cutaneous masses that compromise both locomotion and feeding. there are very few available therapeutic strategies, with surgical excision being the most common. however, this surgical excision is associated with a high rate of local disease recurrence and secondary i ... | 2014 | 25000680 |
| investigating the potential role of persistent organic pollutants in hawaiian green sea turtle fibropapillomatosis. | it has been hypothesized for decades that environmental pollutants may contribute to green sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (fp), possibly through immunosuppression leading to greater susceptibility to the herpesvirus, the putative causative agent of this tumor-forming disease. to address this question, we measured concentrations of 164 persistent organic pollutants (pops) and halogenated phenols in 53 hawaiian green turtle (chelonia mydas) plasma samples archived by the biological and environment ... | 2014 | 24963745 |
| migrations of green turtles (chelonia mydas) between nesting and foraging grounds across the coral sea. | marine megafauna tend to migrate vast distances, often crossing national borders and pose a significant challenge to managers. this challenge is particularly acute in the pacific, which contains numerous small island nations and thousands of kilometers of continental margins. the green sea turtle, chelonia mydas, is one such megafauna that is endangered in pacific waters due to the overexploitation of eggs and adults for human consumption. data from long-term tagging programs in queensland (aust ... | 2014 | 24940598 |
| a comparison of the seasonal movements of tiger sharks and green turtles provides insight into their predator-prey relationship. | during the reproductive season, sea turtles use a restricted area in the vicinity of their nesting beaches, making them vulnerable to predation. at raine island (australia), the highest density green turtle chelonia mydas rookery in the world, tiger sharks galeocerdo cuvier have been observed to feed on green turtles, and it has been suggested that they may specialise on such air-breathing prey. however there is little information with which to examine this hypothesis. we compared the spatial an ... | 2012 | 23284819 |
| nesting phenology of marine turtles: insights from a regional comparative analysis on green turtle (chelonia mydas). | changes in phenology, the timing of seasonal activities, are among the most frequently observed responses to environmental disturbances and in marine species are known to occur in response to climate changes that directly affects ocean temperature, biogeochemical composition and sea level. we examined nesting seasonality data from long-term studies at 8 green turtle (chelonia mydas) rookeries that include 21 specific nesting sites in the south-west indian ocean (swio). we demonstrated that tempe ... | 2012 | 23056527 |
| inorganic elements in green sea turtles (chelonia mydas): relationships among external and internal tissues. | inorganic elements from anthropogenic sources have entered marine environments worldwide and are detectable in marine organisms, including sea turtles. threatened and endangered classifications of sea turtles have heretofore made assessments of contaminant concentrations difficult because of regulatory restrictions on obtaining samples using nonlethal techniques. in the present study, claw and skin biopsy samples were examined as potential indicators of internal tissue burdens in green sea turtl ... | 2014 | 24889685 |
| blood gases, biochemistry, and hematology of galapagos green turtles (chelonia mydas). | the green turtle, chelonia mydas, is an endangered marine chelonian with a circum-global distribution. reference blood parameter intervals have been published for some chelonian species, but baseline hematology, biochemical, and blood gas values are lacking from the galapagos sea turtles. analyses were done on blood samples drawn from 28 green turtles captured in two foraging locations on san cristóbal island (14 from each site). of these turtles, 20 were immature and of unknown sex; the other e ... | 2014 | 24824065 |
| artisanal green turtle, chelonia mydas, fishery of caribbean nicaragua: i. catch rates and trends, 1991-2011. | this is the first assessment of catch rates for the legal, artisanal green turtle, chelonia mydas, fishery in caribbean nicaragua. data were collected by community members, monitoring up to 14 landing sites from 1991 to 2011. we examined take levels, and temporal and spatial variability in catch rates for the overall fishery, by region, and community using general additive mixed models (gamms). more than 171,556 green turtles were killed during the period, with a mean estimated minimum 8,169±2,1 ... | 2014 | 24740258 |
| monitoring organic and inorganic pollutants in juvenile live sea turtles: results from a study of chelonia mydas and eretmochelys imbricata in cape verde. | despite the current environmental concern regarding the risk posed by contamination in marine ecosystems, the concentrations of pollutants in sea turtles have not been thoroughly elucidated. in the current study, we determined the concentrations of 18 organochlorine pesticides (ocps), 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) and 11 inorganic elements (cu, mn, pb, zn, cd, ni, cr, as, al, hg and se) for the first time in two sea turtle species (chelonia mydas ... | 2014 | 24602915 |
| predicting connectivity of green turtles at palmyra atoll, central pacific: a focus on mtdna and dispersal modelling. | population connectivity and spatial distribution are fundamentally related to ecology, evolution and behaviour. here, we combined powerful genetic analysis with simulations of particle dispersal in a high-resolution ocean circulation model to investigate the distribution of green turtles foraging at the remote palmyra atoll national wildlife refuge, central pacific. we analysed mitochondrial sequences from turtles (n = 349) collected there over 5 years (2008-2012). genetic analysis assigned nata ... | 2014 | 24451389 |
| immunological evaluation of captive green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) with ulcerative dermatitis. | ulcerative dermatitis (ud) is common in captive sea turtles and manifests as skin erosions and ulcers associated with gram-negative bacteria. this study compared clinically healthy and ud-affected captive turtles by evaluating hematology, histopathology, immunoglobulin levels, and delayed-type hypersensitivity assay. turtles with ud had significantly lower weight, reduced delayed-type hypersensitivity (dth) responses, and higher heterophil:lymphocyte ratios. this study is the first to assay dth ... | 2013 | 24450041 |
| mercury in the sea turtle chelonia mydas (linnaeus, 1958) from ceará coast, ne brazil. | mercury concentrations in carapace fragments of the green turtle chelonia mydas from the ceará coast in ne brazil are reported. concentrations varied from <0.34 to 856.6 ng.g(-1) d.w., and were highest (average of 154.8 ng.g(-1) d.w.) in juveniles (n = 22), whereas lowest concentrations (average of 2.5 ng.g(-1) d.w.) were observed in adult/sub-adult animals (n = 3). there was a significant negative correlation between animal size and hg concentration probably due to different diets between juven ... | 2012 | 22441601 |
| nesting ecology of chelonia mydas (testudines: cheloniidae) on the guanahacabibes peninsula, cuba. | the nesting colony of green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) at guanahacabibes peninsula biosphere reserve and national park is one of the largest in the cuban archipelago; however, little information about its nesting ecology is available. temporal and spatial variation in nesting and reproductive success as well as morphometric characteristics of gravid females were used to ecologically characterize this colony. nine beaches of the southernmost coast of guanahacabibes peninsula were monitored for ... | 2013 | 24432544 |
| young green turtles, chelonia mydas, exposed to plastic in a frontal area of the sw atlantic. | ingestion of anthropogenic debris represents an important threat to marine turtle populations. information has been limited to inventories of debris ingested and its consequences, but why ingestion occurs and the conditions that enable it are less understood. here we report on the occurrence of plastic ingestion in young green turtles (chelonia mydas) inhabiting the río de la plata (sw atlantic). this estuarine area is characterized by a frontal system that accumulates anthropogenic debris. we e ... | 2014 | 24315702 |
| report of carettacola stunkardi (martin & bamberger, 1952) dailey, fast & balazs, 1991 (digenea: spirorchiidae) infecting green turtle chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758 (testudines, cheloniidae) in brazil. | | 2013 | 24212713 |
| monitoring mercury in green sea turtles using keratinized carapace fragments (scutes). | the green sea turtles are facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild and the impacts of heavy metals contamination contributes with the decline of their populations. it is very important to assess noninvasive and nonlethal methods for monitoring hg contamination in sea turtles. thus, hg concentrations were measured in keratinized fragments (scutes) and internal tissues of green sea turtles from the ceará coast to test the usefulness of scutes as a monitoring subject for sea turtles. a sig ... | 2013 | 24095202 |
| movements and diving behavior of internesting green turtles along pacific costa rica. | using satellite transmitters, we determined the internesting movements, spatial ecology and diving behavior of east pacific green turtles (chelonia mydas) nesting on nombre de jesús and zapotillal beaches along the pacific coast of northwestern costa rica. kernel density analysis indicated that turtles spent most of their time in a particularly small area in the vicinity of the nesting beaches (50% utilization distribution was an area of 3 km(2) ). minimum daily distance traveled during a 12 day ... | 2013 | 24020468 |
| finding the 'lost years' in green turtles: insights from ocean circulation models and genetic analysis. | organismal movement is an essential component of ecological processes and connectivity among ecosystems. however, estimating connectivity and identifying corridors of movement are challenging in oceanic organisms such as young turtles that disperse into the open sea and remain largely unobserved during a period known as 'the lost years'. using predictions of transport within an ocean circulation model and data from published genetic analysis, we present to our knowledge, the first basin-scale hy ... | 2013 | 23945687 |
| concentrations and distributions of metals in tissues of stranded green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) from the southern atlantic coast of brazil. | silver (ag), cadmium (cd), copper (cu), lead (pb) and zinc (zn) concentrations were analyzed in tissues of juvenile green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) found stranded along the southern atlantic coast in brazil. green sea turtles were collected (n=29), measured (curved carapace length: ccl) and had their muscle, liver, and kidney dissected for metal concentration measurements. sex was identified in 18 individuals (10 females and 8 males) through gonad histology. no gender differences in ccl and t ... | 2014 | 23895781 |
| developing ultraviolet illumination of gillnets as a method to reduce sea turtle bycatch. | fisheries bycatch of marine animals has been linked to population declines of multiple species, including many sea turtles. altering the visual cues associated with fishing gear may reduce sea turtle bycatch. we examined the effectiveness of illuminating gillnets with ultraviolet (uv) light-emitting diodes for reducing green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) interactions. we found that the mean sea turtle capture rate was reduced by 39.7% in uv-illuminated nets compared with nets without illumination. ... | 2013 | 23883577 |
| contextualising the last survivors: population structure of marine turtles in the dominican republic. | nesting by three species of marine turtles persists in the dominican republic, despite historic threats and long-term population decline. we conducted a genetic survey of marine turtles in the dominican republic in order to link them with other rookeries around the caribbean. we sequenced a 740bp fragment of the control region of the mitochondrial dna of 92 samples from three marine turtle species [hawksbill (n = 48), green (n = 2) and leatherback (n = 42)], and incorporated published data from ... | 2013 | 23840394 |
| intestinal and cloacal strictures in free-ranging and aquarium-maintained green sea turtles (chelonia mydas). | intestinal or cloacal strictures that resulted in intestinal obstruction were diagnosed in six green sea turtles (chelonia mydas) from three rehabilitation facilities and two zoologic parks. the etiologies of the strictures were unknown in these cases. it is likely that anatomic adaptations of the gastrointestinal tract unique to the green sea turtle's herbivorous diet, paired with causes of reduced intestinal motility, may predispose the species to intestinal damage and subsequent obstructive i ... | 2013 | 23805560 |
| the effects of feeding on hematological and plasma biochemical profiles in green (chelonia mydas) and kemp's ridley (lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles. | 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 si ... | 2011 | 21776356 |
| quantitative computed tomography of the liver in juvenile green sea turtles (chelonia mydas). | quantitative computed tomography (qct) is a highly sensitive, applicable technique for determining the x-ray attenuation of organs. this technique reveals great precision in the detection of alterations in the x-ray attenuation of hepatic parenchyma, although the lack of studies establishing normal values limits its application in wild animals. the objective of this study was to establish mean hepatic attenuation values in four healthy juvenile sea turtles (chelonia mydas) using qct. helical com ... | 2013 | 23805549 |
| rate of egg maturation in marine turtles exhibits 'universal temperature dependence'. | 1. the metabolic theory of ecology (mte) predicts that, after correcting for body mass variation among organisms, the rates of most biological processes will vary as a universal function of temperature. however, empirical support for 'universal temperature dependence' (utd) is currently equivocal and based on studies of a limited number of traits. 2. in many ectothermic animals, the rate at which females produce mature eggs is temperature dependent and may be an important factor in determining t ... | 2011 | 21517842 |
| extreme temperatures, foundation species, and abrupt ecosystem change: an example from an iconic seagrass ecosystem. | extreme climatic events can trigger abrupt and often lasting change in ecosystems via the reduction or elimination of foundation (i.e., habitat-forming) species. however, while the frequency/intensity of extreme events is predicted to increase under climate change, the impact of these events on many foundation species and the ecosystems they support remains poorly understood. here, we use the iconic seagrass meadows of shark bay, western australia--a relatively pristine subtropical embayment who ... | 2015 | 25145694 |
| occurrence of amphiorchis indicus mehrotra, 1973 (digenea, spirorchiidae) infecting green turtle chelonia mydas linnaeus, 1758 (testudines, cheloniidae) in brazil. | | 2013 | 23644807 |
| temporal consistency and individual specialization in resource use by green turtles in successive life stages. | not all individuals in a population use the same subset of dietary and habitat resources. patterns of individual specialization have been documented in an increasing number of organisms, but often without an associated time scale over which niche specialization was observed. we examined the patterns in individual resource use through time and in relation to the population with metrics of temporal consistency and degree of individual specialization. we used stable isotope analysis of carbon and n ... | 2013 | 23620346 |
| rapid evolution of beta-keratin genes contribute to phenotypic differences that distinguish turtles and birds from other reptiles. | sequencing of vertebrate genomes permits changes in distinct protein families, including gene gains and losses, to be ascribed to lineage-specific phenotypes. a prominent example of this is the large-scale duplication of beta-keratin genes in the ancestors of birds, which was crucial to the subsequent evolution of their beaks, claws, and feathers. evidence suggests that the shell of pseudomys nelsoni contains at least 16 beta-keratins proteins, but it is unknown whether this is a complete set an ... | 2013 | 23576313 |