A pan-cheloniid turtle from the Middle Miocene of Portugal.

Currently, there is no information on the fossil record of Pan-Cheloniidae from the Neogene of the Iberian Peninsula. A well-preserved partial skeleton attributable to this lineage of turtles, from the Middle Miocene of Portugal, is presented here. It preserves much of the anterior half of its carapace, in which the plates remain articulated, as well as several articulated dorsal vertebrae, and an isolated cervical and a caudal vertebrae. The analysis of this Serravallian find shows that it cannot be attributed to a hitherto described taxon. Thus, a new member of Pan-Cheloniidae is defined, Lusochelys emilianoi gen. et sp. nov., improving the relatively limited knowledge about this lineage for the Middle Miocene global record. It represents the first generic and specific systematic attribution for a member of Pan-Chelonioidea in the Neogene record of the Iberian Peninsula.

Influence of incubation temperature, maternal effects, and paternity on quality of olive ridley hatchlings (Lepidochelys olivacea) from a mass-nesting beach in the Mexican Pacific.

Future climate change scenarios project that the increase in surface temperatures will affect ocean temperatures, inducing shifts in marine biodiversity. Sea turtles are species that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change because temperature is a factor that influences embryonic development. We collected clutches of olive ridley turtles from a mass-nesting beach in the Mexican Pacific, which were incubated in ex situ conditions. When the hatchlings emerged, we measured the body condition index-which evaluates the weight-length relationship-and swim thrust, both were considered traits associated with fitness, termed "fitness proxies," and evaluated the effects of incubation temperature, maternal effects, and paternity on these fitness proxies. The body condition index was correlated positively and significantly with the arribada month and temperature during the last third of the incubation period but showed an inverse relationship with the maternal effect. While swim thrust was positively correlated with the maternal effect and the arribada month, there was an inverse relationship with incubation temperature during the first third of the period. Paternity, whether single or multiple, did not have a significant effect on either fitness proxies; however, it may have effects on the average fitness of a population of hatchlings. These results underscore the need to expand research on the sublethal effects of high incubation temperatures on the adaptation and survival of sea turtles, particularly in scenarios of rapid climate change.

Integrating morphological, molecular and cytogenetic data for F2 sea turtle hybrids diagnosis revealed balanced chromosomal sets.

Hybridization could be considered part of the evolutionary history of many species. The hybridization among sea turtle species on the Brazilian coast is atypical and occurs where nesting areas and reproductive seasons overlap. Integrated analysis of morphology and genetics is still scarce, and there is no evidence of the parental chromosome set distribution in sea turtle interspecific hybrids. In this study, chromosome markers previously established for pure sea turtle species were combined with morphological and molecular analyses aiming to recognize genetic composition and chromosome sets in possible interspecific hybrids initially identified by mixed morphology. The data showed that one hybrid could be an F2 individual among Caretta caretta × Eretmochelys imbricata × Chelonia mydas, and another is resulting from backcross between C. caretta × Lepidochelys olivacea. Native alleles of different parental lineages were reported in the hybrids, and, despite this, it was verified that the hybrid chromosome sets were still balanced. Thus, how sea turtle hybridism can affect genetic features in the long term is a concern, as the implications of the crossing-over in hybrid chromosomal sets and the effects on genetic function are still unpredictable.

Description and quantification of micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes of the sentinel green turtle (Chelonia mydas) with fluorescence microscopy.

Contamination in marine ecosystems is of the most critical threats to marine turtles. The identification of useful biomarkers to detect and monitor the physiological and clinical effects of pollutants on these populations will allow early detection of alterations (e.g., mutagenic damages) that could risk their viability or favor the development of diseases, thus threatening the biodiversity of these ecosystems and human population. This study is aimed at describing and quantifying nuclear anomalies in peripheral blood erythrocytes of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from three distinct foraging areas in Mexico (Akumal, Xcalak, and Punta Herrero). We developed a novel morphological index that could be used as a biomarker to identify abnormal nuclei in peripheral blood erythrocytes. Here we describe for the first time in C. mydas, with a species-specific staining protocol, distinct nuclear abnormalities such as blebbed, lobed, notched, eight shape nuclei, and binucleated cells. These nuclear abnormalities were present in > 90 % of the subjects (n = 30). Moreover, 50 % of the organisms presented erythrocytes with micronuclei. The number of nuclear abnormalities did not correlate with size of the green turtles or differ between sites, or health status. We found a higher frequency of green turtles with nuclear abnormalities in the southern region (Punta Herrero and Xcalak) with the highest frequency of micronucleus and buds. The former could be associated to the constant exposure to chemical pollutants of oceanographic origin in the southern coast of Quintana Roo. Furthermore, the increasing anthropogenic pollution in Akumal could also explain the highest variability in the number of nuclear abnormalities presented in resident individuals. We propose that a long-term monitoring programs of green turtle populations in the Mexican Caribbean that include a micronucleus test could be a useful to determine possible mutagenic damage in these animals.

Morphological characterization of the digestive tube of hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) hatchlings.

Morphological studies concerning the digestive system can further information on animal diets, thus aiding in the understanding of feeding behavior. Given the scarcity of information on sea turtle digestive system morphology, the aim of the present study was to describe the digestive tube (DT) morphology of Eretmochelys imbricata hatchlings to further understand the diet of these individuals in the wild. DT samples from 10 stillborn turtles (undefined sex) were analyzed at the macro and microscopic levels. The esophagus, stomach, small intestine (SI), and large intestine (LI) are described. Histologically, the DT is formed by four tunics, the mucosa, submucosa, muscular, and adventitia or serosa. The esophagus is lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, while the remainder of the DT is lined by a simple columnar epithelium. The esophagus mucosa is marked by conical, pointed papillae. The stomach comprises three regions, the cardiac, fundic, and pyloric and is covered by neutral mucous granular cells. The intestinal mucosa presents absorptive cells with microvilli, neutral and acidic goblet cells, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. The SI is significantly longer than the LI (p value = 0.006841). These morphological findings are strong indications of adaptations to a carnivorous diet in this hawksbill turtle age group.

Marine turtles are only minimally sexually size dimorphic, a pattern that is distinct from most nonmarine aquatic turtles.

Turtles have been prominent subjects of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) analyses due to their compact taxonomy, mating systems, and habitat diversity. In prior studies, marine turtles were grouped with fully aquatic non-marine turtles (NMATs). This is interesting because it is well-established that the marine environment imposes a distinct selective milieu on body form of vagile vertebrates, driven by convergent adaptations for energy-efficient propulsion and drag reduction. We generated a comprehensive database of adult marine turtle body sizes (38,569 observations across all species), which we then used to evaluate the magnitude of SSD in marine turtles and how it compares to SSD in NMAT. We find that marine turtles are only minimally sexually size dimorphic, whereas NMAT typically exhibit female-biased SSD. We argue that the reason for this difference is the sustained long-distance swimming that characterizes marine turtle ecology, which entails significant energetic costs incurred by both sexes. Hence, the ability of either sex to allocate proportionately more to growth than the other is likely constrained, meaning that sexual differences in growth and resultant body size are not possible. Consequently, grouping marine turtles with NMAT dilutes the statistical signature of different kinds of selection on SSD and should be avoided in future studies.

Osteological and vascular morphology and electrolyte homeostasis of sea turtles.

Sea turtles have well developed lacrimal glands for their electrolyte homeostasis. In turtles, stapedial artery and palatine artery send branches to supply orbital region, but supply artery for lacrimal glands was not identified. Micro-CT scans showed dorsoventrally large lacrimal glands of sea turtle are supplied by both stapedial artery and palatine artery. The circulatory pattern in cranial region was reconstructed based on the micro-CT scans, showing that sea turtle has basically similar pattern with the common snapping turtle: stapedial artery supplies orbital region and mandibular artery is ramified from stapedial artery. We also investigate the foramen stapedio-temporalis in turtles using osteological specimens. The foramen stapedio-temporalis, where the stapedial artery passes through, has different size among four families of turtles. We compared the sum of cross sections of left and right foramen stapedio-temporalis since homeostasis of one individual is maintained by a pair of lacrimal glands. The size difference may reflect primarily the share of stapedial artery against palatine artery in cranial circulation pattern and blood supply of orbital regions. Our observations confirmed a significantly larger cross-section in the foramen stapedio-temporalis of sea turtles than other freshwater/terrestrial turtles. Since the circulatory pattern is shared, the size difference of foramen stapedio-temporalis reflects the amount of arterial blood supply to lacrimal glands. Therefore, the size of the foramen stapedio-temporalis may indicate marine adaptation of turtles and are applicable to both fossil and osteological specimens.

Creation of a peptide database of corneous beta-proteins of marine turtles for the identification of tortoiseshell: archaeological combs as case study.

Tortoiseshell is a proteinaceous material derived from the scutes of marine turtles, and was shaped into an abundance of objects, especially luxurious items, at its peak in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. It has continued to be used even after the advent of plastics and remains one of the main causes of illegal poaching of marine turtles, in particular the hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata. Tortoiseshell is made of structural proteins, of which the most abundant are known as ß-keratins, or 'corneous beta-proteins' (CBPs), a family of short proteins containing a central structure in ß-sheets. There are, however, few CBP sequences of marine turtles in protein databases. The scutes of the five main species of marine turtles (Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, Eretmochelys imbricata, Lepidochelys olivacea and Lepidochelys kempii) were analysed by proteomics, using nano-liquid chromatography-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry to generate peptidic markers for species identification. A total of 187 marker sequences were identified, the large majority of them obtained from automated de novo sequencing. The sequences were classified into peptides A to F: A to D at the N-terminus and central region that forms the ß-pleated sheets, E1-4 for a variable region of glycine-repeats region and F at the C-terminus. The markers were tested against a set of combs discovered in various archaeological sites of modern period in France, successfully identifying hawksbill turtle and highlighting patterns of degradation in archaeological tortoiseshell.

Plastic ingestion by juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) off the coast of Southern Brazil.

Five of the seven extant sea turtle species in the world forage on the coast of Southern Brazil at least in some stage of their life cycle. The green turtle Chelonia mydas frequently strands on beaches of Rio Grande do Sul State. The species is currently classified as vulnerable to extinction in the region, and pollution by marine debris is one of the most conspicuous threats to its conservation. In this study, we quantified and characterized plastic ingestion by juvenile green turtles in waters off the southern Brazilian coast between 2013 and 2016. We analysed the gastrointestinal content of 17 beached carcasses and registered debris ingestion in 15 individuals (88%). On average, each green turtle ingested 38.4 ± 88.5 plastic fragments. White and transparent plastic bags and plastic sheets were predominant. Our results indicate a high interaction between juvenile green turtles and marine debris off the coast of Southern Brazil.

Two New Species of Telorchis (Digenea: Telorchiidae) from a Green Turtle, Chelonia Mydas (Cheloniidae), from the Upper Texas Coast with a Key to North American Species of Telorchis.

Sea turtles are difficult to sample because of their protected status; however, museum collections and sea turtle stranding networks provide unique opportunities for parasitological research. Four gastrointestinal tracts from stranded, endangered green turtles, Chelonia mydas, were collected between 1993 and 1995 from the upper Texas coast and opportunistically sampled for parasite fauna. Two new species of Telorchis, a common freshwater amphibian and reptilian intestinal parasite genus, were found and described. Telorchis marinus n. sp. differs from Telorchis mydas n. sp. by its short body length, lack of pharyngeal glands, long esophagus relative to total body length, short and straight cirrus sac, short ventral sucker to ovary length relative to total body length, and an ovary located in the anterior one-third of body; it differs from its congeners in the number of ovary lengths between the ventral sucker and ovary, the number of ventral sucker lengths the cirrus sac extends beyond the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, and the vitelline field extent. Telorchis mydas differs from its congeners in the number of ovary lengths between the ventral sucker and ovary, the number of ventral sucker lengths the cirrus sac extends beyond the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, and the combination of having its ovary position near the midbody and a long, sinuous cirrus sac that is 35-44% of the total body length. Given the taxonomic complexities within Telorchis, a revised key to North American species is provided using morphological characteristics to assist future researchers in delineating true species and appropriate synonymies with molecular explorations. We reject the majority of synonymies in the genus until molecular data are available; we accept the synonymies of Telorchis necturi as Telorchis stunkardi and Telorchis gutturosi as Telorchis chelopi. Both Telorchis linstowi and Telorchis stossichi should be considered as species inquirenda. This is the first confirmed report of Telorchis from a marine host and the first report on parasites of cheloniid sea turtles in Texas, and this study adds to the ever-growing evidence that collections are essential to understanding biodiversity.

Mercurio total en hígado de Trachemys callirostris (Gray, 1856) (Testudines: Emydidae) en tres zonas de la Mojana, Sucre-Colombia / Total mercury in liver of Trachemys callirostris (Gray, 1856) (Testudines: Emydidae) in three areas of la Mojana, Sucre-Colombia

RESUMEN La región de la Mojana, perteneciente a la depresión Momposina, que se encuentra en el norte colombiano, desde hace muchos años, ha estado presentando problemáticas ambientales, asociadas a los metales pesados, en principio, por mercurio que, potencialmente, está afectando la fauna silvestre, en especial, a Trachemys callirostris. Esta especie categorizada como vulnerable, se encuentra amenazada, esencialmente, por la sobreexplotación y la alteración de su hábitat. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar las concentraciones de mercurio total en hígado de la hicotea T. callirostris en tres localidades del departamento de Sucre, pertenecientes a la región de la Mojana. Los individuos, se obtuvieron, de manera directa, de pescadores de subsistencia, en los municipios de San Marcos, Caimito y Guaranda. Se tomaron muestras de hígado de 35 individuos de T. callirostris y se cuantificaron las concentraciones de mercurio total, por el método de Espectrometría de Absorción Atómica, usando un analizador directo de mercurio, con previos tratamientos de las muestras. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas entre los sitios muestreados (p<0,05) en las concentraciones de mercurio. Las concentraciones de mercurio encontradas en este estudio demuestran el potencial riesgo ambiental para las especies que comparten este hábitat, en especial, las de consumo humano.

ABSTRACT The Mojana region, belonging to the Momposina depression in northern Colombia, presents environmental problems associated with heavy metals for many years, mainly due to mercury, which is potentially affecting wildlife, especially Trachemys callirostris. This species categorized as vulnerable, is mainly threatened by overexploitation and alteration of its habitat. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of total mercury in the liver of the hicotea T. callirostris in three locations in the department of Sucre belonging to the Mojana region. Turtles were obtained directly from subsistence fishermen from towns San Marcos, Caimito and Guaranda. Liver samples were taken from 35 individuals of T. callirostris and total mercury concentrations were also quantified by the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry method, using a mercury direct analyzer with previous sample treatments. The results showed significant differences between the sampled sites (p <0.05) in mercury concentrations. The mercury concentrations found in this study demonstrate the potential environmental risk for the species that share this habitat, especially those for human consumption.

Humerus osteology, myology, and finite element structure analysis of Cheloniidae.

Adaptation of osteology and myology lead to the formation of hydrofoil foreflippers in Cheloniidae (all recent sea turtles except Dermochelys coriacea) which are used mainly for underwater flight. Recent research shows the biomechanical advantages of a complex system of agonistic and antagonistic tension chords that reduce bending stress in bones. Finite element structure analysis (FESA) of a cheloniid humerus is used to provide a better understanding of morphology and microanatomy and to link these with the main flipper function, underwater flight. Dissection of a Caretta caretta gave insights into lines of action, that is, the course that a muscle takes between its origin and insertion, of foreflipper musculature. Lines of action were determined by spanning physical threads on a skeleton of Chelonia mydas. The right humerus of this skeleton was micro-CT scanned. Based on the scans, a finite element (FE) model was built and muscle force vectors were entered. Muscle forces were iteratively approximated until a uniform compressive stress distribution was attained. Two load cases, downstroke and upstroke, were computed. We found that muscle wrappings (m. coracobrachialis magnus and brevis, several extensors, humeral head of m. triceps) are crucial in addition to axial loading to obtain homogenous compressive loading in all bone cross-sections. Detailed knowledge on muscle disposition leads to compressive stress distribution in the FE model which corresponds with the bone microstructure. The FE analysis of the cheloniid humerus shows that bone may be loaded mainly by compression if the bending moments are minimized.

Geography best explains global patterns of genetic diversity and postglacial co-expansion in marine turtles.

For many species, climate oscillations drove cycles of population contraction during cool glacial periods followed by expansion during interglacials. Some groups, however, show evidence of uniform and synchronous expansion, while others display differences in the timing and extent of demographic change. We compared demographic histories inferred from genetic data across marine turtle species to identify responses to postglacial warming shared across taxa and to examine drivers of past demographic change at the global scale. Using coalescent simulations and approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), we estimated demographic parameters, including the likelihood of past population expansion, from a mitochondrial data set encompassing 23 previously identified lineages from all seven marine turtle species. For lineages with a high posterior probability of expansion, we conducted a hierarchical ABC analysis to estimate the proportion of lineages expanding synchronously and the timing of synchronous expansion. We used Bayesian model averaging to identify variables associated with expansion and genetic diversity. Approximately 60% of extant marine turtle lineages showed evidence of expansion, with the rest mainly exhibiting patterns of genetic diversity most consistent with population stability. For lineages showing expansion, there was a strong signal of synchronous expansion after the Last Glacial Maximum. Expansion and genetic diversity were best explained by ocean basin and the degree of endemism for a given lineage. Geographic differences in sensitivity to climate change have implications for prioritizing conservation actions in marine turtles as well as for identifying areas of past demographic stability and potential resilience to future climate change for broadly distributed taxa.

Complete Colombian Caribbean loggerhead turtle mitochondrial genome: tRNA structure analysis and revisited marine turtle phylogeny / Genoma mitocondrial completo de la tortuga caguama del Caribe colombiano: análisis de la estructura del tRNA y revisión de la filogenia de las tortugas marinas / Genoma mitocondrial de tartaruga-cabeçuda do Caribe colômbiano completo: análise de estrutura de tRNA e filogenia revisada de tartarugas marinhas

Abstract The loggerhead marine turtle, Caretta caretta, is a widely distributed and endangered species that is facing critical population decline, especially in Colombian Caribbean rookeries. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data are of great importance for the description, monitoring, and phylogenetic analyses of migratory turtle populations. In this study, the first full mitochondrial genome of a loggerhead turtle nesting in the Colombian Caribbean was sequenced and analyzed. This mitochondrial genome consists of 16 362 bp with a nucleotide composition of T: 25.7 %, C: 27 %, A: 35 % and G: 12 %. Sequence annotation of the assembled molecule revealed an organization and number of coding and functional units as reported for other vertebrate mitogenomes. This Colombian loggerhead turtle (Cc-AO-C) showed a novel D-Loop haplotype consisting of thirteen new variable sites, sharing 99.2 % sequence identity with the previously reported Caribbean loggerhead CC-A1 D-Loop haplotype. All 13 protein-coding genes in the Cc-AO-C mitogenome were compared and aligned with those from four other loggerhead turtles from different locations (Florida, Greece, Peru, and Hawaii). Eleven of these genes presented moderate genetic diversity levels, and genes COII and ND5 showed the highest diversity, with average numbers of pair-wise differences of 16.6 and 25, respectively. In addition, the first approach related to t-RNAs 2D and 3D structure analysis in this mitogenome was conducted, leading to observed unique features in two tRNAs (tRNATrp and tRNALeu). The marine turtle phylogeny was revisited with the newly generated data. The entire mitogenome provided phylogenetically informative data, as well as individual genes ND5, ND4, and 16S. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of complete mitogenome data in revealing gene flow processes in natural loggerhead turtle populations, as well as in understanding the evolutionary history of marine turtles.

Resumen La tortuga marina caguama, Caretta caretta, es una especie ampliamente distribuida pero que enfrenta una crítica reducción de su población en las colonias del Caribe colombiano. Los datos de las secuencias de DNA mitocondrial son de gran importancia para la descripción, monitoreo y análisis de la filogenia de las tortugas migratorias. En este estudio se secuenció y analizó por primera vez el genoma mitocondrial completo de la tortuga caguama que anida en el Caribe colombiano. Este genoma tiene un tamaño de 16.362 pb con una composición de nucleótidos de T: 25.7 %, C: 27 %, A: 35 % y G: 12 %. La anotación de la secuencia de la molécula reveló una organización y número de unidades codificantes y funcionales como los reportados para mitogenomas de otros vertebrados. Esta tortuga caguama colombiana (Cc-AO-C) mostró un nuevo haplotipo D-Loop que contiene trece nuevos sitios variables, que comparten el 99.2 % de identidad de secuencia con el haplotipo CC-A1 D-Loop previamente reportado para la tortuga caguama del Caribe. Los trece genes que codifican proteínas en el mitogenoma Cc-AO-C se compararon y alinearon con los de otras cuatro tortugas caguama de distintas localidades (Florida, Grecia, Perú y Hawái). Once de estos genes presentaron niveles moderados de diversidad genética, y los genes COII y ND5 mostraron las diversidades nucleotídicas más altas, con un número promedio de diferencias entre pares de secuencias de 6.6 y 25, respectivamente. Adicionalmente, se llevó a cabo la primera aproximación relacionada con el análisis de la estructura 2D y 3D de t-RNAs en este mitogenoma, lo cual condujo a la observación de características únicas en dos tRNAs (tRNATrp y tRNALeu). La filogenia de las tortugas marinas fue revisada a la luz de la nueva información mitogenómica. El mitogenoma, así como los genes individuales ND5, ND4 y 16S, proporcionan datos filogenéticamente informativos. En conclusión, este estudio resalta la importancia de los datos del mitogenoma para revelar procesos de flujo génico en las poblaciones naturales de tortuga caguama, así como para entender la historia evolutiva de las tortugas marinas.

Resumo A tartaruga marinha Caretta caretta (Cc) é uma espécie amplamente distribuída e ameaçada de extinção que enfrenta um declínio crítico da população, especialmente nas colônias do Caribe colombiano. Marcadores moleculares, como sequências de DNA mitocondrial (mtDNA), são de grande importância para a descrição, monitoramento e análise filogenética de populações migratórias de tartarugas. Este estudo mostra a obtenção e análise do genoma mitocondrial de uma tartaruga-cabeçal Cc aninhada na costa Caribe da Colômbia. O genoma mitocondrial é constituído por 16.362 pb, com uma região não codificante (D-Loop), 13 genes codificadores de proteínas (13 PCG), 22 genes tRNA e 2 rRNA (16S e 12S) e uma frequência nucleotídica de T: 25.7 % , C: 27 %, A: 35 % e G: 12,2 %, todos organizados de forma semelhante à maioria dos mitogenomos de vertebrados. Esta tartaruga Cc colombiana apresentou um novo haplótipo D-Loop com treze sítios polimórficos quando comparado ao haplótipo CC-A1.1 (96 %). Além disso, onze genes codificadores de proteínas entre as tartarugas marinhas de diferentes origens apresentaram uma diversidade genética semelhante, exceto os genes COII e ND5 que apresentaram o maior número médio de diferenças entre pares de seqüências (16.600 e 25.000, respectivamente). Aqui relatase a primeira abordagem relacionada à análise de estruturas 2D e 3D para Cc e descrevese as diferenças em dois tRNAs (tRNATrp, tRNALeu). As inferências bayesianas e os métodos de máxima verossimilhança explicam melhor a filogenia das tartarugas marinhas quando utilizamse mitogenomes completos, assim como os genes ND5, ND4 e 16S. Os genes marcadores ATP8, ND4L e ND1 apresentaram relação filogenética pouco suportada. Como conclusão, este estudo apresenta o uso de mitogenomes completos como uma alternativa para melhorar a análise filogenética em tartarugas marinhas e é a primeira análise genética de mitogenomes completos de nidificação na Colômbia.

First record of the marine turtle leech (Ozobranchus margoi) on hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the inner granitic Seychelles.

Ozobranchus spp. are leeches that feed solely on turtle blood. They are common ectoparasites found on a range of marine turtle species, with some species of the leech being implicated as vectors of fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesvirus (FPTHV). Green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles are the two commonly occurring species in the inner granitic islands of the Seychelles. Routine monitoring of nesting turtles on Cousine Island, Seychelles, allowed for opportunistic sightings of leeches on two hawksbill females. In both cases infestation was low, with three leeches collected off one female turtle and five off the other. No obvious signs of papillomas secondary to infection of FPTHV were seen. All of the turtle leeches collected were determined to be Ozobranchus margoi as they had five pairs of lateral digiform branchiae. The specimens were deposited in the Seychelles Natural History Museum on Mahé. To the best of our knowledge this is the first record of Ozobranchus margoi recorded in the inner granitic Seychelles on hawksbill turtles.

Monitoring data of marine turtles on the Togolese coast during 2012-2013.

This dataset contains information on the presence and distribution of sea turtles in Togo. Observations were carried out through a network of ten ecoguards (local guides), facilitated by five fishermen, and coordinated by a field technician, all under the supervision of a scientific coordinator. Data on the occurrence or direct observation of sea turtles on the Togolese coast from September 2012 to August 2013 is presented based on 740 occurrences.

Who are the important predators of sea turtle nests at Wreck Rock beach?

Excessive sea turtle nest predation is a problem for conservation management of sea turtle populations. This study assessed predation on nests of the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) at Wreck Rock beach adjacent to Deepwater National Park in Southeast Queensland, Australia after a control program for feral foxes was instigated. The presence of predators on the nesting dune was evaluated by tracking plots (2 × 1 m) every 100 m along the dune front. There were 21 (2014-2015) and 41 (2015-2016) plots established along the dune, and these were monitored for predator tracks daily over three consecutive months in both nesting seasons. Predator activities at nests were also recorded by the presence of tracks on top of nests until hatchlings emerged. In addition, camera traps were set to record the predator activity around selected nests. The tracks of the fox (Vulpes vulpes) and goanna (Varanus spp) were found on tracking plots. Tracking plots, nest tracks and camera traps indicated goanna abundance varied strongly between years. Goannas were widely distributed along the beach and had a Passive Activity Index (PAI) (0.31 in 2014-2015 and 0.16 in 2015-2016) approximately seven times higher than that of foxes (PAI 0.04 in 2014-2015 and 0.02 in 2015-2016). Five hundred and twenty goanna nest visitation events were recorded by tracks but no fox tracks were found at turtle nests. Camera trap data indicated that yellow-spotted goannas (Varanus panoptes) appeared at loggerhead turtle nests more frequently than lace monitors (V. varius) did, and further that lace monitors only predated nests previously opened by yellow-spotted goannas. No foxes were recorded at nests with camera traps. This study suggests that large male yellow-spotted goannas are the major predator of sea turtle nests at the Wreck Rock beach nesting aggregation and that goanna activity varies between years.

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. The individual exhibited morphological characteristics of C. mydas such as dark green coloration, single pair of pre-frontal scales, four post-orbital scales, and mandibular median ridge, while the presence of two claws in each frontal flipper, and elongated snout resembled the features of E. imbricata. In addition to morphological evidence, we confirmed the hybrid status of this animal using genetic analysis of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I, which revealed that the hybrid individual resulted from the cross between a female E. imbricata and a male C. mydas. Our report extends the geographical range of occurrence of hybrid sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean, and is a significant observation of interspecific breeding between one of the world's most critically endangered populations of sea turtles, the east Pacific E. imbricata, and a relatively healthy population, the east Pacific C. mydas.

Anidación y conservación de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea) en playa Drake, península de Osa, Costa Rica (2006 a 2012) / Nesting and conservation of the Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in playa Drake, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica (2006-2012)

Resumen Desde 2006 a 2012, la anidación de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea) fue monitoreada en bahía Drake, un enclave reconocido internacionalmente por su excelente oferta eco-turística que se localiza en la región noroeste de la península de Osa. Sorprendentemente, esta área dispone de playas de anidación solitaria de tortuga lora que han permanecido casi desadvertidas hasta fechas recientes. Durante este periodo de monitoreo, 958 nidos fueron registrados en playa Drake (promedio anual: 136.9; densidad: 3.80 nidos/100m de playa), de los cuales 363 (37.9%) fueron reubicados a un vivero. Antes de 2006, la pérdida anual de nidos fue superior al 85% debido al saqueo en playa; desde 2006, el porcentaje del saqueo de nidos se mantuvo en un promedio del 10.1%. Además, un total de 335 hembras fueron identificadas con placas metálicas; el promedio de la longitud curva del caparazón fue de 66.1cm; el promedio del ancho curvo del caparazón fue de 70.2cm, y el tamaño promedio por nidada fue de 96.3 huevos. El promedio del éxito de eclosión para los nidos reubicados en vivero fue de 79.2%, y más de 61 000 neonatos fueron liberados al mar durante este periodo. Este proyecto es un ejemplo de una iniciativa exitosa de conservación, eco-turismo y desarrollo comunitario.

Abstract The nesting of the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle was studied from 2006 to 2012 in Drake Bay, Costa Rica, an important solitary nesting site and center of eco-tourism in the Osa Peninsula. During this period, 958 nests were recorded (mean: 136.9 nests per season; density: 3.8 nests/100m of beach per season), of which 38% were relocated to a hatchery. The incidence of poaching was reduced from 85% in 2005 to a mean of 10.1% from 2006-2012. A total of 335 nesting females were tagged; the mean curved length of carapace was 66.1cm, the mean curved width was 70.2cm, and the mean number of eggs per nest was 96.3. A mean rate of reproductive success of 79.2% was obtained and over 61 000 hatchlings were liberated from the hatchery. This project is an example of a successful community-based conservation and eco-tourism initiative. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (Suppl. 1): 117-129. Epub 2015 April 01.

Turtle cleaners: reef fishes foraging on epibionts of sea turtles in the tropical Southwestern Atlantic, with a summary of this association type

In the present study we record several instances of reef fish species foraging on epibionts of sea turtles (cleaning symbiosis) at the oceanic islands of Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and near a shipwreck, both off the coast of Pernambuco State, northeast Brazil. Nine reef fish species and three turtle species involved in cleaning are herein recorded. Besides our records, a summary of the literature on this association type is presented. Postures adopted by turtles during the interaction are related to the habits of associated fishes. Feeding associations between fishes and turtles seem a localized, albeit common, phenomenon.

No presente estudo registramos diversos episódios de peixes recifais alimentando-se de epibiontes sobre o corpo de tartarugas marinhas (simbiose de limpeza) nas ilhas oceânicas do arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha e próximo a um naufrágio na costa de Pernambuco, nordeste do Brasil. Nove espécies de peixes recifais e três espécies de tartarugas envolvidas nas associações são aqui registradas. Além de nossos registros, apresentamos também um resumo da literatura sobre o tema. As posturas adotadas pelas tartarugas durante as interações estão relacionadas com os hábitos dos peixes associados. Associações alimentares entre peixes e tartarugas podem ser consideradas como um fenômeno local, embora comum.