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Turner Tomaszewicz CN, Liles MJ, Avens L, Seminoff JA. Tracking movements and growth of post-hatchling to adult hawksbill sea turtles using skeleto+iso. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.983260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the eastern Pacific Ocean, hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are adapted to use coastal habitats and ecosystems uncharacteristic of most other sea turtles. Once considered extirpated from this region, hawksbills had sought refuge in estuaries, nesting on muddy banks among the tangles of mangrove roots. This population is at high risk of bycatch during fishing efforts in the estuaries (blast fishing) and adjacent coastal rocky reefs (gillnets), and is further impacted by habitat degradation from coastal development and climate change. The conservation and population recovery of hawksbills in this region is highly dependent on management actions (e.g., nest relocation, habitat protection, bycatch mitigation), and a better understanding of how hawksbills use and move between distinct habitats will help prioritize conservation efforts. To identify multi-year habitat use and movement patterns, we used stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of skin and bone growth layers to recreate movements between two isotopically distinct habitats, a nearshore rocky reef and a mangrove estuary, the latter distinguishable by low δ13C and δ15N values characteristic of a mangrove-based foodweb. We applied skeletochronology with sequential δ13C and δ15N analysis of annual growth layers, “skeleto+iso,” to a dataset of 70 hawksbill humeri collected from coastal El Salvador. The results revealed at least two unique habitat-use patterns. All turtles, regardless of stranding location, spent time outside of the mangrove estuaries during their early juvenile years (< 35 cm curved carapace length, CCL, age 0–5), showing that an oceanic juvenile stage is likely for this population. Juveniles ca. > 35 cm then began to recruit to nearshore areas, but showed divergent habitat-use as some of turtles occupied the coastal rocky reefs, while others settled into the mangrove estuaries. For turtles recruiting to the estuaries, settlement age and size ranged from 3 to 13 years and 35–65 cm CCL. For the adult turtles, age-at-sexual-maturity ranged from 16 to 26 years, and the maximum reproductive longevity observed was 33 years. The skeleto+iso also showed that adult hawksbills have long-term habitat fidelity, and the results demonstrate the importance of both mangrove estuary and nearshore rocky reefs to the conservation of hawksbills in the eastern Pacific.
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Turner Tomaszewicz CN, Avens L, Seminoff JA, Limpus CJ, FitzSimmons NN, Guinea ML, Pendoley KL, Whittock PA, Vitenbergs A, Whiting SD, Tucker AD. Age-specific growth and maturity estimates for the flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus) by skeletochronology. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271048. [PMID: 35857751 PMCID: PMC9299290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To address a major knowledge gap for flatback sea turtles (Natator depressus), a species endemic to Australia and considered ‘Data Deficient’ for IUCN Red List assessment, we present the first-ever skeletochronology-derived age and growth rate estimates for this species. Using a rare collection of bone samples gathered from across northern Australia, we applied skeletochronology and characterized the length-at-age relationship, established baseline growth rates from the hatchling to adult life stages, and produced empirical estimates of age-at- and size-at-sexual-maturation (ASM, SSM). We analyzed humeri from 74 flatback sea turtles ranging in body size from 6.0–96.0 cm curved carapace length (CCL), and recovered from Western Australia (n = 48), Eastern Australia (n = 13), central Australia (n = 8; Northern Territory n = 3, the Gulf of Carpentaria n = 5), and unknown locations (n = 5). We identified the onset of sexual maturity for 29 turtles, based on rapprochement growth patterns in the bones. Estimates for ASM ranged from 12.0 to 23.0 years (mean: 16.3 ± 0.53 SE), SSM ranged from 76.1 to 94.0 cm CCL (mean: 84.9 ± 0.90 SE), and maximum observed reproductive longevity was 31 years for a 45-year old male flatback. Growth was modeled as a smoothing spline fit to the size-at-age relationship and at the mean SSM (84.9 cm CCL) corresponded with a spline-predicted maturity age of 18 years (95% CI: 16 to 24), while mean nesting sizes reported in the literature (86.4 to 94 cm CCL) corresponded to estimated ages of 24+ years. A bootstrapped von Bertalanffy growth model was also applied and showed consistencies with the spline curve, yielding an estimated upper size limit, Linf, at 89.2 ± 0.04 cm (95% CI: 85.5 to 95.9 cm) with the intrinsic growth rate parameter, k, at 0.185 ± 0.0004 (0.16 to 0.22); at the same mean SSM (84.9 cm CCL) the estimated ASM was 16.3 ± 0.05 years (95% CI: 12.8 to 27.7 years). Lastly, four of the samples analyzed were collected from deceased adult females that had previous sizes known from on-going mark/recapture studies at nesting sites in Western Australia. The paired CCL data (measured at nesting and back-calculated) did not significantly differ (p = 0.875). This first skeletochronology study for flatback sea turtles generates valuable empirical estimates for ongoing conservation and management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calandra N. Turner Tomaszewicz
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- The Ocean Foundation, Washington, D.C., United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Larisa Avens
- NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey A. Seminoff
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Colin J. Limpus
- Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Scott D. Whiting
- Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anton D. Tucker
- Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, WA, Australia
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Turner Tomaszewicz CN, Avens L, LaCasella EL, Eguchi T, Dutton PH, LeRoux RA, Seminoff JA. Mixed‐stock aging analysis reveals variable sea turtle maturity rates in a recovering population. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Calandra N. Turner Tomaszewicz
- National Research Council NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla CA 92037 USA
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Larisa Avens
- NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center Beaufort NC 28516 USA
| | | | - Tomoharu Eguchi
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Peter H. Dutton
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Robin A. LeRoux
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center La Jolla CA 92037 USA
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Page-Karjian A, Whitmore L, Stacy BA, Perrault JR, Farrell JA, Shaver DJ, Walker JS, Frandsen HR, Rantonen E, Harms CA, Norton TM, Innis C, Yetsko K, Duffy DJ. Fibropapillomatosis and Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 Infection in Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles ( Lepidochelys kempii). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113076. [PMID: 34827808 PMCID: PMC8614476 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is an endangered species that is susceptible to a tumor disease called fibropapillomatosis (FP) and its associated virus, chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). The goal of our study was to describe FP in Kemp’s ridley turtles, including estimated disease prevalence and pathologyg, and case demographics and outcomes, to better understand the risk posed by FP to Kemp’s ridley population recovery. During 2006–2020, we identified 22 cases of Kemp’s ridley turtles with FP, including 12 adult turtles, a reproductively valuable age class. Molecular diagnostics were used to identify ChHV5 DNA in blood (7.8%) and tumor (91.7%) samples collected from free-ranging Kemp’s ridley turtles. Genomic sequencing was conducted to identify ChHV5 variants in tumor samples collected from Kemp’s ridley turtles with FP. Along with case data, phylogenetic analysis of resultant sequences suggests increasing, spatiotemporal spread of ChHV5 infections and FP among Kemp’s ridley turtles in coastal areas, including the Gulf of Mexico and the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, where they share habitat with green sea turtles (in which FP is enzootic). This is concerning because FP has an uncertain pathogenesis, is potentially related to anthropogenic environmental degradation, and can cause suffering and/or death in severely afflicted turtles. Abstract Fibropapillomatosis (FP), a debilitating, infectious neoplastic disease, is rarely reported in endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). With this study, we describe FP and the associated chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) in Kemp’s ridley turtles encountered in the United States during 2006–2020. Analysis of 22 case reports of Kemp’s ridley turtles with FP revealed that while the disease was mild in most cases, 54.5% were adult turtles, a reproductively valuable age class whose survival is a priority for population recovery. Of 51 blood samples from tumor-free turtles and 12 tumor samples from turtles with FP, 7.8% and 91.7%, respectively, tested positive for ChHV5 DNA via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Viral genome shotgun sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of six tumor samples show that ChHV5 sequences in Kemp’s ridley turtles encountered in the Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Atlantic cluster with ChHV5 sequences identified in green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles from Hawaii, the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean. Results suggest an interspecific, spatiotemporal spread of FP among Kemp’s ridley turtles in regions where the disease is enzootic. Although FP is currently uncommon in this species, it remains a health concern due to its uncertain pathogenesis and potential relationship with habitat degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Page-Karjian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Liam Whitmore
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (L.W.); (J.A.F.); (K.Y.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Co. Limerick, Ireland
| | - Brian A. Stacy
- National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
| | | | - Jessica A. Farrell
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (L.W.); (J.A.F.); (K.Y.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Donna J. Shaver
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (J.S.W.); (H.R.F.)
| | - J. Shelby Walker
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (J.S.W.); (H.R.F.)
| | - Hilary R. Frandsen
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (J.S.W.); (H.R.F.)
| | - Elina Rantonen
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA;
| | - Craig A. Harms
- Center for Marine Science & Technology, North Carolina State University, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA;
| | | | | | - Kelsey Yetsko
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (L.W.); (J.A.F.); (K.Y.); (D.J.D.)
| | - David J. Duffy
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (L.W.); (J.A.F.); (K.Y.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Şirin A, Başkale E. Age structure of stranded Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) in Turkey. ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2021.1992836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayfer Şirin
- Pamukkale University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Eyup Başkale
- Pamukkale University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Denizli, Turkey
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Siegfried TR, Fuentes MMPB, Ware M, Robinson NJ, Roberto E, Piacenza JR, Piacenza SE. Validating the use of stereo-video cameras to conduct remote measurements of sea turtles. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:8226-8237. [PMID: 34188882 PMCID: PMC8216940 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Point 1: Stereo-video camera systems (SVCSs) are a promising tool to remotely measure body size of wild animals without the need for animal handling. Here, we assessed the accuracy of SVCSs for measuring straight carapace length (SCL) of sea turtles. Point 2: To achieve this, we hand captured and measured 63 juvenile, subadult, and adult sea turtles across three species: greens, Chelonia mydas (n = 52); loggerheads, Caretta caretta (n = 8); and Kemp's ridley, Lepidochelys kempii (n = 3) in the waters off Eleuthera, The Bahamas and Crystal River, Florida, USA, between May and November 2019. Upon release, we filmed these individuals with the SVCS. We performed photogrammetric analysis to extract stereo SCL measurements (eSCL), which were then compared to the (manual) capture measurements (mSCL). Point 3: mSCL ranged from 25.9 to 89.2 cm, while eSCL ranged from 24.7 to 91.4 cm. Mean percent bias of eSCL ranged from -0.61% (±0.11 SE) to -4.46% (±0.31 SE) across all species and locations. We statistically analyzed potential drivers of measurement error, including distance of the turtle to the SVCS, turtle angle, image quality, turtle size, capture location, and species. Point 4: Using a linear mixed effects model, we found that the distance between the turtle and the SVCS was the primary factor influencing measurement error. Our research suggests that stereo-video technology enables high-quality measurements of sea turtle body size collected in situ without the need for hand-capturing individuals. This study contributes to the growing knowledge base that SVCS are accurate for body size measurements independent of taxonomic clade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew Ware
- Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFLUSA
| | - Nathan J. Robinson
- Fundacion OceanogràficOceanogràfic de ValènciaValenciaSpain
- Cape Eleuthera Island SchoolCape Eleuthera InstituteEleutheraThe Bahamas
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Avens L, Ramirez MD, Goshe LR, Clark JM, Meylan AB, Teas W, Shaver DJ, Godfrey MH, Howell L. Hawksbill sea turtle life stage durations, somatic growth patterns, and age at maturation. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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8
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Mayne B, Tucker AD, Berry O, Jarman S. Lifespan estimation in marine turtles using genomic promoter CpG density. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236888. [PMID: 32735637 PMCID: PMC7394378 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maximum lifespan for most animal species is difficult to define. This is challenging for wildlife management as it is critical for estimating important aspects of population biology such as mortality rate, population viability, and period of reproductive potential. Recently, it has been shown cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) density is predictive of maximum lifespan in vertebrates. This has made it possible to predict lifespan in long-lived species, which are generally the most intractable. In this study, we use gene promoter CpG density to predict the lifespan of five marine turtle species. Marine turtles are a particularly difficult group for lifespan estimation because of their migratory behaviour, longevity and high juvenile mortality rates, which all restrict individual tracking over their lifespan. Sanger sequencing was used to determine the CpG density in selected promoters. We predicted the lifespans for marine turtle species ranged from 50.4 years (flatback turtle, Natator depressus) to 90.4 years (leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea). These lifespan predictions have broad applications in marine turtle research such as better understanding life cycles and determining population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Mayne
- Environomics Future Science Platform, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Anton D. Tucker
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Marine Science Program, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Oliver Berry
- Environomics Future Science Platform, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Simon Jarman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Putman NF, Hawkins J, Gallaway BJ. Managing fisheries in a world with more sea turtles. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200220. [PMID: 32605516 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, fisheries have been managed to limit the accidental capture of vulnerable species and many of these populations are now rebounding. While encouraging from a conservation perspective, as populations of protected species increase so will bycatch, triggering management actions that limit fishing. Here, we show that despite extensive regulations to limit sea turtle bycatch in a coastal gillnet fishery on the eastern United States, the catch per trip of Kemp's ridley has increased by more than 300% and green turtles by more than 650% (2001-2016). These bycatch rates closely track regional indices of turtle abundance, which are a function of increased reproductive output at distant nesting sites and the oceanic dispersal of juveniles to near shore habitats. The regulations imposed to help protect turtles have decreased fishing effort and harvest by more than 50%. Given uncertainty in the population status of sea turtles, however, simply removing protections is unwarranted. Stock-assessment models for sea turtles must be developed to determine what level of mortality can be sustained while balancing continued turtle population growth and fishing opportunity. Implementation of management targets should involve federal and state managers partnering with specific fisheries to develop bycatch reduction plans that are proportional to their impact on turtles.
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Maria Guarino F, Di Nocera F, Pollaro F, Galiero G, Iaccarino D, Iovino D, Mezzasalma M, Petraccioli A, Odierna G, Maio N. Skeletochronology, age at maturity and cause of mortality of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta stranded along the beaches of Campania (south-western Italy, western Mediterranean Sea). HERPETOZOA 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e47543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on demographic and life-history traits of endangered vertebrate species, such as sea turtles, is crucial for planning management and conservation actions. We applied skeletochronology of phalanges to estimate the age of loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, found dead stranded along the beaches of Campania (western Mediterranean) from 2013 to 2017. To obtain maturity data, we examined gonads from a subsample of 7 males and 11 females. Overall, curved carapace length (CCL) ranged from 5.6 to 90.8 cm, but for most turtles (89%) it was 50–79.9 cm. Predominance of stranded females (62%) was recorded. Ten out of the eighteen histologically examined gonads allowed estimating maturity. Based on the lines of arrested growth counting, the estimated age of the examined specimens ranged from 0 (hatchling) to 26 years. The modal age was 14 years for males and 17 years for females. The smallest male with spermatogenetic activity had a CCL of 65 cm and was estimated to be 16 years old. The smallest female with follicular development stage, characterising the transition towards adulthood, had a CCL of 69.5 cm and was estimated to be 20 years old. Anthropogenic factors were responsible for 36% of the mortality of individuals, followed by parasitic/infective pathologies (20%).
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Hoekstra LA, Schwartz TS, Sparkman AM, Miller DAW, Bronikowski AM. The untapped potential of reptile biodiversity for understanding how and why animals age. Funct Ecol 2020; 34:38-54. [PMID: 32921868 PMCID: PMC7480806 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
1. The field of comparative aging biology has greatly expanded in the past 20 years. Longitudinal studies of populations of reptiles with a range of maximum lifespans have accumulated and been analyzed for evidence of mortality senescence and reproductive decline. While not as well represented in studies of amniote senescence, reptiles have been the subjects of many recent demographic and mechanistic studies of the biology of aging. 2. We review recent literature on reptile demographic senescence, mechanisms of senescence, and identify unanswered questions. Given the ecophysiological and demographic diversity of reptiles, what is the expected range of reptile senescence rates? Are known mechanisms of aging in reptiles consistent with canonical hallmarks of aging in model systems? What are the knowledge gaps in our understanding of reptile aging? 3. We find ample evidence of increasing mortality with advancing age in many reptiles. Testudines stand out as slower aging than other orders, but data on crocodilians and tuatara are sparse. Sex-specific analyses are generally not available. Studies of female reproduction suggest that reptiles are less likely to have reproductive decline with advancing age than mammals. 4. Reptiles share many physiological and molecular pathways of aging with mammals, birds, and laboratory model organisms. Adaptations related to stress physiology coupled with reptilian ectothermy suggest novel comparisons and contrasts that can be made with canonical aging phenotypes in mammals. These include stem cell and regeneration biology, homeostatic mechanisms, IIS/TOR signaling, and DNA repair. 5. To overcome challenges to the study of reptile aging, we recommend extending and expanding long-term monitoring of reptile populations, developing reptile cell lines to aid cellular biology, conducting more comparative studies of reptile morphology and physiology sampled along relevant life-history axes, and sequencing more reptile genomes for comparative genomics. Given the diversity of reptile life histories and adaptations, achieving these directives will likely greatly benefit all aging biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A Hoekstra
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50010, USA
| | - Tonia S Schwartz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Amanda M Sparkman
- Department of Biology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California, 93108, USA
| | - David A W Miller
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50010, USA
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Evaluation of Gonadal Tissue to Validate Size at Reproductive Maturity in Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Found Stranded in Texas, USA. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11050076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Kemp’s ridley, Lepidochelys kempii, is the most endangered sea turtle in the world. Anthropogenic mortality of Kemp’s ridleys has been well documented in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), USA. We evaluated the reproductive maturity of 75 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles found dead on GOM beaches on Mustang Island and North Padre Island, Texas, USA, 1994–1999. Straight carapace length (SCL) ranged from 40.8 to 68.7 cm. Preserved gonads and associated tissues were examined and measured. Gonadal measurements were then compared with SCL. Adults and juveniles shared a larger range of carapace measurements than expected, supporting the idea that juveniles spend several years in a pubertal state. Our results suggest caution when using SCL, tail length, or curved front claws alone as indicators of sexual maturity. In fact, SCL can be used to discern adults from juveniles with more predictive power when coupled with testis length or oviduct length measurements, thus allowing endangered species managers to more clearly identify demographic shifts in the number of mature animals, which can precede population changes. This study shows that information gained from the examination of stranded sea turtles allows wildlife managers to make more informed decisions regarding conservation priorities.
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Wildermann NE, Gredzens C, Avens L, Barrios-Garrido HA, Bell I, Blumenthal J, Bolten AB, Braun McNeill J, Casale P, Di Domenico M, Domit C, Epperly SP, Godfrey MH, Godley BJ, González-Carman V, Hamann M, Hart KM, Ishihara T, Mansfield KL, Metz TL, Miller JD, Pilcher NJ, Read MA, Sasso C, Seminoff JA, Seney EE, Willard AS, Tomás J, Vélez-Rubio GM, Ware M, Williams JL, Wyneken J, Fuentes MMPB. Informing research priorities for immature sea turtles through expert elicitation. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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14
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Avens L, Dell’Amico F. Evaluating viability of sea turtle foraging populations at high latitudes: age and growth of juveniles along the French Atlantic coast. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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15
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Braun McNeill J, Goodman Hall A, Richards PM. Trends in fishery-dependent captures of sea turtles in a western North Atlantic foraging region. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Caillouet CW, Raborn SW, Shaver DJ, Putman NF, Gallaway BJ, Mansfield KL. Did Declining Carrying Capacity for the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Population Within the Gulf of Mexico Contribute to the Nesting Setback in 2010−2017? CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1283.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott W. Raborn
- LGL Ecological Research Associates, Inc., Bryan, Texas 77801 USA []
| | - Donna J. Shaver
- Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, Texas 78480-1300 USA []
| | - Nathan F. Putman
- LGL Ecological Research Associates, Inc., Bryan, Texas 77801 USA []
| | | | - Katherine L. Mansfield
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816 USA []
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Omeyer LCM, Godley BJ, Broderick AC. Growth rates of adult sea turtles. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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