Conservation and Ecology of Marine Reptiles MARE 490 Dr. Turner Summer 2012

1. Conservation and Ecology of Marine Reptiles MARE 490 Dr. Turner Summer 2012

3. Reptilian Origins Mammalia Aves Reptilia

5. Class Reptilia Order Chelonia – marine turtles Order Squamata – marine snakes and iguanas Order Crocodilia – saltwater crocodile

6. Class Reptilia 6,000 living species of reptiles (lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles) Dry skin covered with scales (prevent H20 loss) Air breathing Marine taxa include sea turtles, sea snakes, marine iguana, and saltwater crocodile

7. Marine Turtles Marine turtles tied to terrestrial environment for oviposition - process of laying eggs Other Aquatic Reptiles: iguanas, crocodilians, ichthyosaurs - tail undulation for locomotion

8. Marine Turtles Marine turtles: lost capacity of tail undulation Developed shortened, rigid body form & corselet (breastplate) Limbs required profound modification from terrestrial existence

9. Limb Modification Forelimbs modified into paddles: - elongate phalanges enmeshed in a continuous matrix of tough connective tissue Foreclaws reduced to three on each limb

10. Order Chelonii 2 Families: Cheloniidae & Dermochelyidae 7 or 8 species found throughout 3 tropical Oceans 3 species have restricted distribution: Flatback – northern Australia Kemp’s ridley – Gulf of Mexico, N. Atlantic Black sea turtle – eastern Pacific

11. Order Chelonii Turtles & tortoises – monophyletic group or clade “Pseudoturtle” Placochelys

12. Order Chelonii Cretaceous – 4 families: Toxichelyidae Protostegidae Cheloniidae Dermochelyidae

13. Order Chelonii - Extinct - Extant

14. Family Toxichelyidae Small/medium sized, broad-shelled marine turtles - diverged from Cheloniidae

15. Family Protostegidae A group of large to gigantic turtles - Rhinochelys sp. Parallels with dermochelyidae

16. Family Protostegidae

17. Order Chelonii - Extinct - Extant

18. Family Cheloniidae Shell covered in horny scutes Variable in number Typically 5 pairs on carapace; 6 of plastron

19. Family Dermochelyidae Reduction in bones of the carapace & plastron No scutes

20. Cheloniid Diversity At one point – 31 genera 5 extant: Chelonia sp. Eretmochelys sp. Lepidochelys sp. Caretta sp. Natator sp.

21. Genus Chelonia Description: 4 pairs of lateral, non-overlapping scutes 2 extant species: Chelonia mydas Chelonia agassizii

22. Genus Chelonia Chelonia mydas:4-pairs lateral scutes, 1 pair prefrontal scales, non-overlapping scutes, round head, serrated jaw; to 230kg, shell 125cm

23. Family Cheloniidae Chelonia mydas – green sea turtle Herbivore Fibrilopapilloma – 49-92% Nest French Frigate Shoals ≈1,000 females

24. Family Cheloniidae Chelonia mydas – green sea turtle

25. Major Nesting Areas C. mydas

26. Genus Chelonia Chelonia agassizii: 4-pairs lateral scutes, 1 pair prefrontal scales, non-overlapping scutes, round head, serrated jaw; to 230kg, shell 125cm Black pigmentation Restricted to E. Pacific

27. Family Cheloniidae Chelonia agassizii – black sea turtle 4 pairs of non-overlapping lateral scutes Pacific coast of S. America

28. Family Cheloniidae Chelonia agassizii – black sea turtle

29. Major Nesting Areas C. agassizii

30. Genus Eretmochelys Description: 4 pairs of lateral, overlapping scutes 1 extant species: Eretmocheyls imbricata

31. Genus Eretmochelys Eretmocheyls imbricata: 4-pairs lateral scutes, 2 pairs prefrontal scales, overlapping scutes, pointed head, overbite; to 85kg, shell 95cm

32. Family Cheloniidae Eretmocheyls imbricata – Hawksbill sea turtle 4 pairs of overlapping lateral scutes Shell highly prized; $100/lb Until 1992 – 20 net tons/Japan Nests on beaches of Hawaii

33. Family Cheloniidae Eretmocheyls imbricata – Hawksbill sea turtle

34. Major Nesting Areas E. imbricata

35. Genus Lepidochelys Description: 5-6+ lateral scutes, round carapace 2 extant species: Lepidocheyls olivacea Lepidocheyls kempi Olive Kemp’s

36. Genus Lepidochelys Lepidocheyls olivacea: 6+-pairs lateral scutes, carapace nearly circular, 4 bridge scutes with pores, juvenile-charcoal, adult-olive green; to 45kg, shell 70cm Restricted to tropical waters

37. Family Cheloniidae Lepidocheyls olivacea – Olive ridley sea turtle 6+ pairs of non-overlapping lateral scutes Widely Distributed Doing fairly well Rarely found around Hawai′i

38. Family Cheloniidae Lepidocheyls olivacea – Olive ridley sea turtle

39. Major Nesting Areas L. olivacea

40. 5-6 Genus Lepidochelys Lepidocheyls kempi: 5-6 pairs lateral scutes, carapace very round, 4 bridge scutes with pores, juvenile-charcoal, adult-grey-green; to 45kg, shell 70cm Restricted to Gulf of Mexico & S. Atlantic

41. Family Cheloniidae Lepidocheyls kempi – Kemp’s ridley sea turtle 5 pairs of non-overlapping lateral scutes Most critically Endangered 1947-42,000 ♀; 1980’s -1,000♀ Shrimp trawl bycatch

42. Family Cheloniidae Lepidocheyls kempi – Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

43. Major Nesting Areas L. kempi

44. Genus Caretta Description: 5-6 lateral scutes, carapace longer than wide 1 extant species: Caretta caretta Loggerhead Kemp’s

45. Genus Caretta Caretta caretta: 5-6 pairs lateral scutes, carapace longer than wide, 3 bridge scutes with no pores, broad head, red to red-brown; to 200kg, shell 120cm

46. Family Cheloniidae Caretta caretta – Loggerhead sea turtle 5 pairs of non-overlapping lateral scutes Nests in S. Japan – only in N. Pacific; prevalent in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic

47. Family Cheloniidae Caretta caretta – Loggerhead sea turtle

48. Major Nesting Areas C. caretta

49. Genus Natator Description: 4 pairs of lateral, non-overlapping scutes; 1 extant species: Natator depressus

50. Genus Natator Natator depressus: 4-pairs lateral scutes, 1 pair prefrontal scales, non-overlapping scutes, round head, serrated jaw; to 90kg, shell 100cm Dorso-ventrally flattened