Marine Turtle Newsletter - Seaturtle.org

Marine Turtle Newsletter Number 47 October 1989 Editors:

Editorial Board..

Karen L. Eckert & Scott A. Eckert Physiological Research Lab (A-004) Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California-San Diego La Jolla, California 92093 USA

Nat B. Frazer Nicholas Mrosovsky David W. Owens Peter C. H. Pritchard James L Richardson

TENTH ANNUAL SEA TURTLE WORKSHOP The Tenth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology will be held at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 20-24 February 1990. The hosts for this year's meeting will be the Nongame and Heritage Trust Section of the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department and the Museum of Hilton Head Island - Project Turtle Watch. Surpassing last year's excellent Workshop in Georgia will be hard to do. It was attended by 450 persons representing 15 countries. However, to celebrate a decade of workshops, we hope to make this year's meeting even better! There will be paper and poster sessions featuring the efforts of federal and state agencies, local municipalities, universities and conservation organizations, as well as private individuals. There will be space and time available if groups such as the IUCN or WIDECAST wish to meet while everyone is in one place. The Workshop's casual and friendly atmosphere is the perfect place for students and others just getting involved with sea turtles to interact with experienced professionals. The Workshop is also a time for fun and relaxation. There will be organized social events and free time to enjoy beautiful Hilton Head Island. Please plan to join us in the South Carolina Lowcountry for this, our special Tenth Annual Workshop. For those wishing to make early travel arrangements, please route yourself through Savannah, Georgia. For further information, contact: SALLY MURPHY, South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, P.O. Box 12559,Charleston, South Carolina 29412USA. Part of the tremendous success of last year's workshop was the contributions from our foreign visitors. Jim Richardson has agreed to help coordinate this very worthy endeavor again this year, on behalf of the Steering Committee of the Tenth Annual Workshop. So, if you have the funds to sponsor a deserving student or scientist from abroad, please get in touch (soon!) with: DR. JIM RICHARDSON, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 USA. Thank you! See you all in February!

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SEX IDENTIFICATION IN YOUNG KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES Temperature-dependent sex determination, homomorphic sex chromosomes and the absence of sexual dimorphism in young sea turtles limit sexing of individuals to a sacrificial method involving histological examination of gonads. As a result it is not possible to determine the relationship between sex development and environment in the critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi). Furthermore, managers cannot determine sex ratios in wild populations of Kemp's ridleys containing high percentages of juveniles, headstart programs have no knowledge of sex ratio of turtles hatched (except those that die) or released, and captive propagation operations must retain individuals for years before selecting for future brood-stock. Previous non-sacrificial attempts to sex immature sea turtles have been based on meristics (A. Landry, personal communication), H-Y antigen (Wellins, 1987), laparoscopy and prepubertal levels of sex steroids. The most useful technique is radioimmunoassay of steroids because testosterone levels are higher in males than in females (Owens et al., 1978). However, sex is identified correctly only 90% of the time and the animals must be at least two years old (D. Owens, personal communication, 1987). In an effort to provide a non-sacrificial means of identifying genotypic sex of hatchling Kemp's ridleys, we are pursuing two avenues of investigation, one molecular and the other immunologic. The first involves determining whether specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences of the sex chromosomes can be detected. A DNA probe (BKm - a laboratory detectable sequence of sex specific minor DNA) was obtained from the W chromosome of a venomous Indian snake (Bungarus fasciatus). This probe detects homologous sequences on the W chromosome of other snakes (even in species that carry homomorphic Z and W chromosomes), on the W chromosome of birds and on the Y chromosome of mammals (Singh et al., 1976, 1980). We are attempting to detect such sequences in Kemp's ridley. Twelve animals of known sex were used. Eight (5 females, 3 males) were 9-yr olds maintained from hatchling stage at an oceanarium. They were sexed by laparoscopy. Four (3 females, 1 male) were head-started yearlings that had to be euthanized because of gross carapace and plastron malformations. These were sexed histologically. A small sample of blood (0.5 nil or less) was obtained from each animal and DNA was extracted from the cells. The DNA was then digested with a restriction endonuclease and the fragments displayed by size using agarose gel electrophoresis. The DNA was transferred and fixed to membrane filters and the filters exposed to biotin-labelled BKm probe DNA. Homologous sequences are manifested as "bands" on the membrane filter. We have identified several bands that are sex-specific or exhibit a dose effect. Because the turtles are not inbred, more individuals will have to be sampled in order to rule out autosomal polymorphism. The second avenue of study is to use an antibody that will signal the presence of H-Y antigen on Kemp's ridley blood cells. H-Y antigen is a cell surface protein expressed sexspecifically in all vertebrates examined (Wachtel, 1983). We have produced several monoclonal H-Y antibodies and currently are devising a technique to determine whether HY is present on blood cells of Kemp's ridley, and whether it is expressed sex-specifically. An Elisa will allow either direct detection of H-Y on the cells, or expression of H-Y will be inferred by absorbing H-Y antisera with turtle blood cells and assaying those treated antisera for residual anti-H-Y activity using a known H-Y source as an antigen. The immunologic technique is much more cost-effective than the molecular method and the results would be available in hours rather than in days.

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Although our results are preliminary, we are encouraged that a non-sacrificial method for determining the genotype sex of young Kemp's ridleys is forthcoming. Development of this non-sacrificial method will make it possible to determine with accuracy the sex ratio of hatchlings produced in conservation programs, facilitate studies on the effects of environment on sex development and increase the efficiency of broodstock selection on turtle farms. These techniques would prove most useful if they can be applied in other marine turtle species in the hatchling and juvenile stages. Finally, these studies will allow us to conduct population studies to determine the size of the gene pool and species relationships. Owens, D. W., J. R. Hendrickson, V. Lance and 1. P. Collard. 1978. A technique for determining sex of immature Chelonia mydas using a radioimmunoassay. Herpetologica 34:270-273. Singh, L., I. F. Purdom and K. W. Jones. 1976. Satellite DNA and evolution of sex chromosomes. Chromosoma 59:43-62. Singh, L., I. F. Purdom and K. W. Jones. 1980. Sex chromosome associated satellite DNA: evolution and conservation. Chromosoma 79:137-157. Wachtel, S. S. 1983. H-Y antigen and the biology of sex determination. Academic Press, London, England. Wellins, D. J. 1987. Use of an H-Y antigen assay for sex determination in sea turtles. Copeia 1:46-52. MARCEL DURONSLET, National Marine Fisheries Service, SEFC Galveston Laboratory, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, Texas 77551-5997 USA, D. NAKAMURA, George Washington School of Law, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington D.C. 20037 USA, C. W. CAILLOUET (same as Duronslet), and S. DEMAS, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee 38163 USA. SHRIMP TRAWL-INDUCED MORTALITY OF SEA TURTLES DURING SHORT DURATION TRAWLING Recent changes in turtle excluder device (TED) regulations may allow offshore shrimpers to trawl without the use of TEDs if they limit their trawling durations to 105 minutes. This change in regulations greatly increases the need for data regarding sea turtle mortality during short duration trawling. During June of 1983, I was allowed to accompany a shrimp crew while they conducted three days of normal trawling off the east coast of central Florida. The captain of the trawler was concerned about sea turtle mortality and therefore limited trawling to relatively short durations. Trawling took place approximately 1 km offshore in an approximate 14.5 km line from the Cape Canaveral ship channel to Patrick's Air Force Base. The incidental-capture data from all of the trawls during those three days are summarized in Table 1. The high rate of incidental capture (11 captures in 18.7 hrs of trawling) most certainly reflects the relative abundance of loggerhead turtles in the area. Aerial surveys by the National Marine Fisheries Service (Schroeder and Thompson, 1987) indicate that both immature and adult loggerheads are frequently sighted along the Atlantic coast of the

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TABLE 1. Data from 3 days of trawling off the east coast of central Florida in 1983. "Loggerhead" refers to the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta. "Dead" refers to turtles that did not regain consciousness during the approximate 1.5 hours they remained on deck. ________________________________________________________________________ DATE TRAWL # DURATION OF TRAWL INCIDENTAL CAPTURES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6/3/83 6/3/83

1 2

75 minutes 105 minutes

6/3/83 6/3/83 6/3/83 6/3/83 6/8/83 6/8/83 6/8/83 6/8/83 6/8/83

3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5

85 minutes 120 minutes 75 minutes 30 minutes 90 minutes 90 minutes 90 minutes 45 minutes 90 minutes

6/10/83

1

75 minutes

6/10/83 6/10/83

2 3

75 minutes 75 minutes

none 1 dead adult female loggerhead, 1 dead immature loggerhead none none none 2 live adult female loggerheads none none 1 live immature loggerhead none 1 dead adult female loggerhead, 1 live adult female loggerhead 1 dead immature loggerhead, 2 live immature loggerheads 1 dead adult female loggerhead none

Total number of incidental captures = 11 (with 45.4% mortality) _______________________________________________________________________ central Florida Cape during the spring and summer. The Atlantic coast of central Florida represents a major nesting area for loggerheads (Hopkins and Richardson, 1984; Provancha and Ehrhart, 1987; Ehrhart and Raymond, 1987) and the seasonal abundance of immature loggerheads in that area suggests that it may also represent a major feeding ground (Schroeder and Thompson, 1987). The high incidental capture rate reported above exemplifies the need to either restrict trawling activities or require the use of TEDs to protect critical habitats such as feeding grounds and the waters adjacent to nesting beaches. A second aspect of the incidental capture data is the mortality during relatively short trawling durations. If all of the trawls are considered (ranging from 30-105 minutes in duration), the mortality was 45.5%. This mortality included both adult and immature turtles. It is plausible that the high mortality during the short duration trawls may relate to water temperature. Warm water temperatures should increase the metabolic rate and overall activity of sea turtles and thus decrease the length of time before a turtle needs to surface for air. Regardless, the data above indicate that short duration trawling (i.e., 105 minutes or less) can result in high sea turtle mortality. Acknowledgements: The above data were collected during a study of sea turtle reproductive endocrinology funded by Texas A&M Sea Grant College, U.S. Department of Commerce, grant # NA85AA-D-SG128. 4

Elirhart, L. M. and Raymond, P. W. 1987. Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta , and green turtle, Chelonia mydas, nesting densities in South Brevard County, Florida, 19811984, p.21-25. In: Ecology of East Florida Sea Turtles, W.N. Witzell (ed.). NOAA Tech. Rept. NMFS 53. Hopkins, S. R. and Richardson, J. I. 1984. A Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 355 p. Provancha, J. A. and Ehrhart, L. M. 1987. Sea turtle nesting trends at John F. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and relationships with factors influencing nest site selection, p.33-44. In: Ecology of East Florida Sea Turtles, W.N. Witzell (ed.). NOAA Tech. Rept. NMFS 53. Schroeder, B. A. and Thompson, N. B. 1987. Distribution of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, and the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, in the Cape Canaveral, Florida area: results of aerial surveys, p.45-53. In: Ecology of East Florida Sea Turtles, Witzell (ed.). NOAA Tech. Rept. NMFS 53. THANE WIBBELS, Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 (Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712).

MARINE TURTLE SURVEY IN NORTHERN CYPRUS The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) are known to breed regularly in the Mediterranean. Nesting numbers are low to very low; some former nesting sites are no longer used; most populations are depleted; no remaining substantial population is yet adequately protected. There is particular concern for the survival of the green turtle in the region; former large colonies in Israel and Turkey have collapsed and present nesting is effectively restricted to Turkey and Cyprus. The loggerhead nests in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and at a few other sites in the central and southern Mediterranean. Information available on turtle nesting in Cyprus until recently referred exclusively to beaches in the southern sector of the island, and in particular to the Lara area in the southwest, where the Fisheries Department has operated a turtle conservation programme for several years (Demetropoulos and Hadjichristophorou, 1989). Both Chelonia and Caretta nest in southern Cyprus, but in low numbers; probably in the range of 25-75 females per annum, respectively (Groombridge, 1988a). Beaches in the northern sector of Cyprus (recognized by Turkey as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) have largely escaped the wave of tourist development now affecting southern Cyprus and much of the Mediterranean littoral, and it was hoped that important nesting sites may be present. Local residents in the north have carried out some basic surveys in recent years, but the distribution and density of turtle nesting have remained poorly known. This note outlines the results of an exploratory beach survey carried out in Northern Cyprus between 18 June and 15 July 1988, designed to obtain more precise data on the distribution of nesting beaches, the species and numbers involved, and the relative importance of Northern Cyprus in the Mediterranean context. It is based on fieldwork by Whitmore, summarized in an unpublished report submitted to WWF (Groombridge, 1988b); further details will be provided elsewhere.

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With the exception of one 15-20 km beach in north-west Cyprus, within a restricted military area at Güzelyurt (=Morphou) Bay, all beaches in Northern Cyprus were visited and examined for turtle tracks. All beaches suitable for nesting were re-examined for evidence of recent nesting after an interval of a few days; some were examined a third time. Tracks and nests were recorded according to species, and note was made of non-nesting emergences. Of the 60 beaches identified as actual or potential turtle nesting sites, 43 were found to have one or more turtle nests; 5 more had tracks but no nests, 12 had no nesting activity or tracks. Eight beaches were physically unsuitable for turtle nesting. Beach length ranged from 70-2,855 m, with a mean for all sites of approximately 500 m. The collected data indicate that the number of both Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas nesting in Northern Cyprus (Table 1) are similar to those nesting in southern Cyprus. Although very low by world standards, and moderate in comparison with the most important sites in Greece (Caretta only) and Turkey (both species), numbers are sufficiently low in the Mediterranean overall that even small-sized populations assume great significance. TABLE 1. Summary of turtle nesting data, Northern Cyprus, 18 June-14 July 1988. C.m. refers to the green turtle, Chelonia mydas ; C.c. refers to the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta ; ?? indicates that the nest was not identified to species. _______________________________________________________________________ Total beach length (km) Non-nesting Nests: examined emergences C.m. C.c. ?? depredated ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29.2 238 96 122 17 10 _______________________________________________________________________ Nesting by Caretta caretta in Northern Cyprus is spread diffusely over some 36 separate beach sites, scattered around virtually the entire coastline of Northern Cyprus. No one site supports dense nesting. Absolute numbers in Northern Cyprus, and in Cyprus as a whole, are certainly much lower than in Greece or Turkey. Nesting in North Cyprus by Chelonia mydas is more localized. Although nests were recorded on 28 separate beaches, most were found around a bay situated north-west of Dipkarpaz on the Karpas Peninsula, on another nearby beach, also on the south side of the tip of the Karpas Peninsula, and at a site some 28 km east of Girne (=Kyrenia) on the north coast. The Karpas Peninsula is the 'panhandle' extending north-east toward the Gulf of Iskenderun. The bay, approximately 2.7 km in length, north-west of Dipkarpaz, with 36 new nests within the project period (a mean of 1.7 per night), was of outstanding importance as a Chelonia nest site during the 1988 season in Cyprus. Some of the main Chelonia sites on the Karpas Peninsula are within the boundary of the newly declared Zafer Burnu National Terrestrial and Marine Park; the bay north-west of Dipkarpaz is outside the present boundary of the Park, but close to it. The green turtle nest sites revealed by the present project, although minor in world terms, are of marked importance and require priority protection. Most beaches were littered to some extent by tar and a wide variety of plastic debris; some on the Karpas Peninsula were almost free of tar. Most debris was presumably

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deposited on Cyprus after being dumped from shipping at sea, although some is left by visitors using beaches for recreation, and some domestic dumping may occur. On many beaches, including most of those important for turtle nesting, plastic litter formed a continuous band along the beach line. Whilst visually unpleasant to human visitors, there was no direct evidence that turtle nesting is in any way reduced by litter, although nesting females would have to crawl into or through the debris and hatchlings would have to struggle through it to reach the sea. In some instances, females had unearthed and flung aside a variety of items, such as plastic beach sandals and plastic brooms, while excavating their nests. Experience in southern Cyprus (Demetropoulos, personal communication) indicates that such accumulations of litter may build up over several years, and one beach cleaning can similarly have benefits lasting several years. A significant number of turtles are caught, apparently by accident, as a result of fishing activities. Most are caught in set nets near to shore, often near nesting beaches, and many are drowned. Although no firm data are available, it seems probable that a large proportion will be adult females, whose loss would have an important impact on the turtle population. Estimates of the number caught range between 10-50 per annum. Reportedly, there is no utilization of marine turtle eggs nor of adult or young turtles for consumption in Northern Cyprus. No evidence for such practices was found, although some sources have suggested that egg collection has occurred in Cyprus in the past. However, stuffed turtles were occasionally seen in bars and similar establishments, and it seems that turtles are sometimes killed specifically for this purpose. Many beaches, including a significant number of those most suitable for turtle nesting, have been affected by building (residential or holiday development) and road improvement. At present, most tourist development is situated near Girne and around the southern part of the Famagusta Bay. None of the beaches so affected is at present a major turtle nesting site, although the sparse nesting that occurs at some places may formerly have been less sparse. However, tourist development is envisaged, or in the planning stage, at a small number of beaches that are at present relatively pristine, and the tourist infrastructure in general is expanding rapidly (although not yet as rapidly or poorly controlled as in southern Cyprus and Turkey). The expansion of international tourism is likely to prove irresistible as a means of ameliorating the economic difficulties now being experienced in Northern Cyprus, and the preservation of unmodified coastline, including turtle nesting beaches, will be a major challenge for planners. Fortunately, there is a growing interest in and commitment to environmental matters in Northern Cyprus, even at the highest levels of authority. Acknowledgments: This project was developed jointly by the Department of Forestry and Environmental Protection in Northern Cyprus, IUCN, WWF and the Conservation Committee of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica. Funding was provided by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and the project was run in conjunction with a survey of nesting beaches in Turkey as part of a programme (WWF Project #3852 Europe) for marine turtle conservation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Demetropoulos, A. and M. Hadjichristophorou. 1989. Sea turtle conservation in Cyprus. Marine Turtle Newsletter 44:4-6. Groombridge, B. 1988a. Marine turtles in the Mediterranean: distribution, population status, conservation. Unpubl. report to Council of Europe, Environ. Conservation and Management Div. 73p. World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge U.K. 7

Groombridge, B. 1988b. Field survey in Northern Cyprus. WWF Project #3852 Europe: Marine Turtle Conservation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Unpublished final report to WMT International. BRIAN GROOMBRIDGE, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219(c) Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UNITED KINGDOM and CLARE WHITMORE, 86 Derwent Avenue, Headington, Oxford OX3 0AS, UNITED KINGDOM.

"SEMANTICS AND THE LEATHERY TURTLE" : PRITCHARD RESPONDS A recent article entitled "Semantics and the Leathery Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea". (Frazier, 1987) cites several of my publications as examples of the widespread misrepresentation of the true nature of the integument of Dermochelys. I believe a response is in order. i) Frazier laments the redundancy and inaccuracy of the binomial Dermochelys coriacea as exaggerating the scaleless condition of the leathery turtle. In reality there is no redundancy; the name translates to "leathery skin-turtle", a completely appropriate name, not made less so by the brief or sporadic appearance of "scales" or claws in hatchlings or embryos. To exclude a descriptive scientific or vernacular name on the grounds that the featured characteristics are undeveloped in neonates would result, for example, in the rejection of thousands of scientific or vernacular names of avian species based upon plumage details that were not evident in naked nestlings. Frazier would have been better advised to take aim at true redundancies in turtle names, such as Caretta caretta, Kachuga kachuga, Trionyx triunguis , or Annamemys annamensis; or against "inaccurate" names such as Testudo graeca (not found in Greece), Geochelone chilensis (not found in Chile), Caretta caretta (not the bearer of "carey", or tortoiseshell), or Chelodina longicollis (one of the shorter- necked members of this genus). In any case, the Rules of Priority, rather than appropriateness, govern the use of scientific names, although vernacular names can indeed by changed if found to be inappropriate. For example, the preferred vernacular for Lepidochelys olivacea was changed from Pacific Ridley to Olive Ridley after it was noted that the species occurs in all three tropical oceans. ii) The lack of scales, claws, and scutes in the adult, in contrast to Frazier's claim, is indeed a unique feature of Dermochelys among living turtles. In the trionychids, there are isolated but well-developed scales on the limbs, and in Carettaochelys the upper surface of the tail is armed with a series of curved scales. Moreover, in both of these taxa claws are also present throughout life. iii) In stating that Dermochelys lacked keratinized epidermal structures (Pritchard, 1980), it should be noted that I did not imply a complete lack of keratin in this species. I never denied that keratin was present, nor has Frazier proved that it is. The emphasis was on the term "structure", which implies having fixed boundaries. Thus, while the stiff skin covering the cutting edges of the jaws in Dermochelys may contain keratin, it grades smoothly into the thin skin overlaying the skull as a whole, and internally with the soft skin of the palate. The shapelessness of the single asymmetrical twist of tissue identified as "rhamphothecae" (sic) in Frazier's figure 2 suggests that this jaw covering is different from the discrete, rigid jaw-plate or rhamphotheca that constitutes the biting surface of each jaw in all other living turtles.

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iv) The beaded appearance of hatchling leatherbacks may or may not correspond to the presence of true scales. I suspect that it does not. Deraniyagala's report that these "scales" are lost by ecdysis has not been confirmed by others who have raised leatherbacks in captivity (e.g., Birkeruneier, 1971; Bels et al., 1988), and I suspect that the flaking of the integument in Deraniyagala's specimen was pathological. The actual mode of disappearance of the "scales" appears instead to be a progressive flattening-out and stretching as the animal grows, and the existence of a mosaic of areas of smooth skin separated by wrinkles in hatchling leatherbacks may be simply a provision to accommodate very rapid early growth (Pritchard and Trebbau, 1984). One cannot eliminate true scales just by stretching the skin. The skin covering the temporal region of certain chelid turtles (e.g., Phrynops) has a similar pattern of polygonal areas of soft skin bounded by wrinkles, and this probably serves to accommodate the rapid stretching of this skin that occurs during mastication. The "vestiges of scale divisions" reported by Frazier in the eyelids, neck, and caudal crest of leatherbacks are simply skin wrinkles in areas requiring great flexibility. In emphasizing his belief that the dermochelyids are characterized by a loss rather than a lack of scales and claws, Frazier implies that the scale-like features of hatchling leatherbacks are homologous to the scutes and scales of other (e.g., cheloniid) turtles. I do not believe this is true. In all other turtles except those in which the shell scutes have been lost (trionychids, carettochelyids), the arrangement of the scutes is extremely conservative, with only very minor variations on the theme of five vertebrals, four pairs of costals, about 22 marginals, and six pairs of plastral scutes. Some secondary ornamentation may be present in certain trionychids (e.g., Apalone ferox, Palea steindachneri, Aspideretes leithi). but it would be far-fetched to see these rounded or tuberculate structures, soft in texture, as homologous to the scutes of hard-shelled turtles. Similarly in Dermochelys, instead of about fifty large, definitive, cornified scutes lying directly over a more of less complete bony shell, there are literally thousands of very small, transient, soft "scales" overlying a neomorphic layer of mosaic bones or, in the area of the plastron, lying directly over a unique layer of oily connective tissue. Also, although there are vague similarities between the patterns of the head and limb "scales" of leatherbacks and those of other sea turtles, the argument that these are independently derived is at least as cogent as the argument that they are homologous. The arrangement of reptilian scales is not random; scales are smallest in areas undergoing much flexion, and are largest on areas, such as the crown of the head, that are extensively underlain by bone where flexure is impossible. The large "parietal scale" of Dermochelys, for example, may thus have evolved independently from the large parietal of cheloniids, despite their vaguely similar appearance. The history of the small leatherback in Frazier's figure 1 is not stated, but even if the cited carapace length of 15.9 mm is a misprint for 15.9 cm, the specimen is extremely stunted for its stated age of 206 days, and presumably was raised under adverse conditions in captivity. With such retarded growth, it is not surprising that the hatchling skin texture has been retained, but I suspect it would have been lost in a normal 206-day-old specimen. v) No one, I believe, denies that the scaled condition is the primitive one for turtles, and indeed for reptiles as a whole, and I am not aware of arguments that the scaleless condition of Dermochelys derives from paedomorphosis. Many authors (e.g., Gaffney, 1979) have considered the skeleton of adult Dermochelys to represent, in a general way, the condition typical of the juveniles of other turtle species, but Frazier is incorrect in considering this to be a common explanation for the unusual integument of the leatherback. For more than a century biologists have been puzzled by the homologies of the shell and other aspects of Dermochelys, but modern authorities at least seem agreed that this is a highly specialized, rather than a primitive (or simply paedomorphic), Chelonian form. 9

vi) Frazier should not, in the same paragraph, criticize me for using the wording "lacking keratinized epidermal structures" and, in his own words, admit that "the lack of keratinized external features, such as scutes and scales, is a valuable diagnostic for recognizing Dermochelys coriacea." If 1 am wrong, then he is wrong too. Moreover, he subsequently (p.241, paragraph 3) misquotes me by transforming my allusion to "lacking keratinized external structures" to "no external keratin." In conclusion, baby mammals may lack teeth, baby birds may lack plumage, and baby leatherbacks may occasionally have claws, but neither identification keys nor taxonomy nor scientific or vernacular nomenclature would be well served if one could make no allusion to teeth, plumage, or leathery skin simply because such features may not be developed or obvious in neonates. Bels, V., F. Rimblot-Baly and J. Lescure. 1988. Croissance et maintien en captivité de la Tortue Luth.Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761). Revue fr. Aquariol. 15(1988),2:59-64. Birkenmeier, E. 1971. Juvenile leathery turtles, Dermochelys coriacea (Linnaeus), in captivity. Brunei Mus. J. 2(3):160-172. Frazier, J. 1987. Semantics and the leathery turtle, Dermochelys coriacea . J. Herpetology 31(3)240-242. Gaffney, E.S. 1979. Comparative cranial morphology of recent and fossil turtles. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 16(2):65-376. Pritchard, P.C.H. 1980. Dermochelys coriacea. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, 238:14. Pritchard, P.C.H. and P. Trebbau. 1984. The turtles of Venezuela. Soc. Study Amph. Rept. 404p. PETER C. H. PRITCHARD, Florida Audubon Society, 1101 Audubon Way, Maitland, Florida 32751 USA.

ARE MARINE TURTLES FREE FROM PARASITIC COPEPODS? Parasitic copepods are found on a wide variety of marine invertebrates and vertebrates, ranging from cartilaginous and teleost fishes (Yamaguti, 1963; Cressey and Lachner, 1970; Hogans, 1986) to whales (Dailey and Brownell, 1972). There are over 70 genera of these parasites, of which Penella is one of the best known (Balaenophiluls listed by Dailey and Brownell [1972:561] is not a copepod, but a barnacle). These parasitic crustaceans show varying degrees of host specificity. Despite the fact that most copepods are free-living and so small as to be barely visible to the naked eye, these obligate parasites may grow to over 1 m in length. Many burrow into the skin of the vertebrate host, sometimes reaching internal organs, then become affixed and eventually metamorphose to form little more than a reproductive sac external to the host's body. They may occur in dense accumulations, but even single animals are large enough to be conspicuous. When they fall free from the host they often leave a characteristic lesion, which may heal in time. See Yamaguti (1963) and Hogans (1986), and references therein, for species descriptions and illustrations of these animals.

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Hence, it would be difficult to miss either the parasite or the scars it leaves behind. Remarkably, there are apparently no records of parasitic copepods on marine turtles (hostparasite files of the Division of Crustacea, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, R. Cressey, pers. comm.; W. Hogans, in litt. May 1986). Parasitic copepods may be preyed upon by disk-, or "sucker", fishes (Echeneidae) (Cressey and Lachner, 1970). There are seven species of these fishes, three of which are recorded on marine turtles: Echeneis naucrates L. (Ogran and Suddath in Yerger, 1965; Eckert and Eckert, 1988), Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies) (Cressey and Lachner, 1970) and Remora remora (L.) (Cressey and Lachner, 1970; Fretey, 1978; Eckert and Eckert, 1988). Specimens of R. remora which were associated with sharks are reported to have fed on parasitic copepods (Cressey and Lachner, 1970). It could, thus, be argued that the presence of diskfish (R. remora in particular) on turtles is enough to keep the reptilian hosts "clean". However, the diskfish-turtle association is not invariably strong, and many large vertebrates that do have strong associations with diskfish (e.g., some sharks, billfishes, and whales) are frequently parasitized by copepods, even when they are accompanied by diskfishes. Simple predation by diskfish is not sufficient to explain the complete absence of parasitic copepods on marine turtles. Indeed, there is a record of a Remora (=Echenei ) remor [L.] affixed to a leathery sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea [L.]), and the diskfish in turn had a Penella sp. parasitic on it (Petit, 1951). If anyone has any knowledge of copepod parasites on marine turtles, they could perform a welcome service by making their observations known and setting the record straight. Until such information comes to light, we must wonder how marine turtles are able to avoid the attentions of these wide-ranging external parasites. Cressey, R. and E. Lachner. 1970. The parasitic copepod diet and life history of diskfishes (Echeneidae). Copeia 2:310-318. Dailey, M.D. and R.L. Brownell, Jr. 1972. A check list of marine mammal parasites, p.52889. In: Ridgway, S.H. (ed.), Mammals of the sea; biology and medicine. Charles Thomas. Springfield, Illinois. Eckert, K.L. and S.A. Eckert. 1988. Pre-reproductive movements of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting in the Caribbean. Copeia 1988(3):400-406. Fretey, J. 1978. Accompagnement à terre de tortues luths, Dermochelys coriacea (Linné) par des Rémoras. Rev. fr. Aquariol. 2:49-54. Hogans, W. 1986. Redescription of Pennella instructa Wilson, 1917 (Copepoda: Pennellidae) from the swordfish (Xiphias gladius L.). Can. J. Zool. 64:727-730. Petit, G. 1951. Capture d'une tortue luth à La Nouvelle (Aude). Vie et Milieu 2(l):154-155. Yamaguti, S. 1963. Parasitic Copepoda and Branchiura of fishes. John Wiley and Sons, Interscience. New York. 1104p. Yerger, R.W. 1965. The leatherback turtle on the Gulf coast of Florida. Copeia 3:365-366. JACK FRAZIER, Programa Regional de Vida Silvestre, Apartado 1350, Heredia, COSTA RICA. 11

FIRST TAGGING OF LEATHERBACKS IN VENEZUELA A seven week survey (7 May-27 June 1989) was conducted at Ensenada Cipara (62o42’W, 10 o 45’N), Paria Peninsula, Sucre State, with the objective of observing reproductive activities of sea turtles in the area and tagging them. The site is inhabited by fishermen and was selected based upon information obtained by the Fundacion para la Defensa de la Naturaleza (FUDENA) in 1988, as a part of the project "Inventory of Sea Turtles on the Caribbean Coast of Venezuela” (Guada, 1988). The high energy sand beach has a deep water approach, is approximately 2.5 km in length, and averages 25 m in width. The lower vegetation level consists primarily of Ipomoea carnaea (Convolvulaceae); Coccoloba uvifer (Polygonaceae) predominates at medium levels. The beach was patrolled 2-3 times per night, depending on nesting activity and weather conditions. A total of 14 events (7 tracks, 7 nests) were attributed to three sea turtle species: the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). When a turtle was encountered, a metal tag was placed in each foreflipper and the carapace was measured with a flexible measuring tape (Table 1). A single Chelonia nest was recorded, but the animal was not tagged and measurements were not taken (Guada and Vernet, 1989). TABLE 1. Dimensions (curved carapace) of two species of sea turtle nesting at Ensenada Cipara, Venezuela. _____________________________________________________________________ Carapace Dimension (cm) Species Tag(s) Length Width ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------D. coriacea

B7101 (right) B7102 (left)

135.6

106.9

B7107 {right) B7106 (left)

160.0

125.0

C. caretta

B7104 {right) 102.0 88.0 B7103 (left) _____________________________________________________________________ This is the first time that a significant research effort (with substantial economic support) has been put forth in an attempt to understand the distribution and ecology of nesting sea turtles on the Venezuelan mainland. This work was sponsored by FUDENA. We thank Gerardo Cordero (Instituto de Zoologia Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela) for the helpful comments on the manuscript. Guada, H. 1988. Informe del Proyecto Situación Actual de las Tortugas Marinas en la Costa Caribena de Venezuela. Septiembre 1988. Informe Interno de FUDENA. 24p. Guada, H. and Vernet, P. 1989. Informe Final del Proyecto Cipara. Julio 1989. Informe Interno de FUDENA. 12p. HEDELVY J. GUADA, PEDRO VERNET P. and GLENDA MEDINA CUERVO, F.U.D.E.N.A., Apdo. 70376, Caracas 1071, VENEZUELA.

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SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION EMERGING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA We are part of small conservation group which is attempting to protect a nesting beach of leatherback turtles centered on the village of Labu Tale, just outside Lae, in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). The information we have about the general conservation situation in PNG is that it is very bad, and we have had many expressions of concern from PNG nationals. In our view much could and should be done, perhaps by the international conservation bodies in tandem with the PNG authorities. Our beach at Labu Tale involves three hundred or so nests per year. The nesting season extends from November to February, with odd sporadic nesting at other times. A previous conservation scheme by Dr. Norm Quinn had been tried in Labu Tale, but when we started our project that had ceased to operate. We have managed to get the local people to declare part of their beach a turtle reserve. In return, we attract sponsorship and tourists who pay the villagers for accommodation and guides to see the nesting turtles. Our project is closely involved with the local schools and we have attempted to generate publicity and interest within the community in Lae. We save around forty nests a season and would like to expand our activities. A major problem is that, although it is actually illegal to sell leatherback turtle eggs in PNG, the legislation is not enforced at all and the eggs provide a ready source of income during the Christmas period (which is when they are available). The financial value of the entire beach to the villagers, at local market prices, would be no more than three thousand dollars ($US) per annum, and probably rather less. None of us are in any way connected with the biological sciences and although we feel that scientific work could easily be done at Labu Tale, our priority has been conservation. However, we have been conducting a survey of the present status of marine turtles in Papua New Guinea, and we hope that the results will be available later this year. Unfortunately, most of the people involved with the conservation scheme are expatriates who work in Lae and are not going to be in PNG for very long. We would welcome suggestions, help and information from people who have more experience with this sort of project than ourselves. We have had support and encouragement from various Australian workers (Norm Quinn, Colin Limpus) and valuable financial help from the British Chelonia group. We know of a few other nesting beaches for leatherbacks in PNG and can report that all are unprotected and exploited. We think that we have had some success for the last two years but that the long term situation is not good. A large proportion of the Australian leatherback population probably nests in PNG waters and must therefore be regarded as under threat. STEVE BEDDING and BOB LOCKHART, Mathematics Department, Private Mail Bag, The University of Technology, Lae Papua New Guinea. JUVENILE LEATHERBACK CARED FOR IN CAPTIVITY On 19 May 1989, a juvenile leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) was found floundering in the surf off Playa Humacao on the east coast of Puerto Rico. The animal was collected by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and transferred to holding facilities at Coral World in St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands. The turtle measured 29 cm curved carapace length. The distal 3/4 of the front left flipper was missing and the plastron was noticeably concave. The flipper wound was not fresh and tissue had completely

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healed over the remaining stub. Tooth marks were faintly evident on the upper left side of the carapace, suggesting that the injury was shark inflicted. Upon its arrival at Coral World, the little turtle was placed in an octagonal holding tank with soft vinyl sides. At first its disposition was extremely lethargic, and signs of disorientation were noted. Information supplied by DNR in Puerto Rico revealed that the turtle may have sustained a severe sting by a Portuguese ‘Man-O-War’ (Physali). On the second day of captivity the turtle accepted small portions of fish and squid offered at the water's edge. Several Cassiopea were placed in the tank, but were ignored. The turtle had difficulty swimming and showed no inclination to move below the surface. After several days observers noted that the right rear flipper was used as a rudder to compensate for the missing front flipper. One week after receiving the animal, vitamin B12 and an anabolic steroid were injected into the tissue of the right front flipper to accelerate recovery. By this time the plastron had lost much of its concavity and the turtle was accepting almost any type of finely chopped fish (e.g., herring, perch), squid, clams, shrimp and scallops. Then, to our great disappointment, the little turtle was found drowned in the tank on 1 June (apparently the posterior region had been drawn into the standpipe). We offer this note in hopes of encouraging others to rescue young stranded leatherbacks, despite the fact that they are known to be difficult to retain in captivity. Our experience is that they feed well and with care may recover to the point of release. MARK L. JOHNSON, Marine Biologist, Coral World, Route 6, St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands, 00802. MALE LEATHERBACK STRANDS IN KARACHI On 5 September 1988 at about 0100 hrs, a dead male leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) was recorded lying on the beach in front of the first turtle enclosure near Hut #87 at Sandspit, Karachi. A very high level of decomposition indicated that the specimen had died some days before, perhaps due to shark attack (there was a prominent cut on the ventral side of the left rear flipper). The carcass was washed ashore by strong waves and stranded about 20 feet away from the high tide mark. The highest tide at that time was 7.2 feet (Tide Table, Hydrographic Department, Naval Headquarters, Karachi). The soft carapace was found broken due to severe decomposition and internal organs protruded through the leathery shell. The following measurements were taken on site using a flexible measuring tape: Dimension

Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Carapace Plastron Head Tail Foreflipper Hindflipper

213.36 99.06 43.18 45.4 121.92 76.2

121.29 91.44 35.56 -30.48 --

The animal was dissected to study the internal organs and to observe any parasites. A few specimens of Helminths were collected after opening the whole alimentary canal. They were fixed and preserved for identification and were not considered to be the cause of death.

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The leatherback is found in nearby waters, probably in the coastal areas of Oman and India. According to Jack Frazier, the species is in a precarious state and nests regularly near southern Mozambique and perhaps Laccadives. On the west and south coast of India nesting by leatherbacks is irregular and the situation is more urgent, since these populations are the smallest and are under heavy pressure. The species is listed in the IUCN Red Data Book under Category I; however it is also given what is called "star listing" which means that it is critically endangered. More should be done to improve its status. FEHMIDA FIRDOUS, Project Officer, Research and Conservation of Marine Turtles, Sind Wildlife Management Board, Stratchen Road, Karachi-1, P.O. Box 3722, PAKISTAN.

LONG-DISTANCE MOVEMENT OF A JUVENILE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE Long-distance movements of juvenile sea turtles are rarely recorded and movements of sea turtles in New England waters are essentially unknown, although sea turtles are frequently observed north of Chesapeake Bay (Shoop, 1987). For several years researchers at the University of Rhode Island have tagged sea turtles caught in local fish traps. This note records the movement of one of these turtles from Rhode Island to Georgia waters. On 11 August 1981, John Keinath measured and tagged a juvenile loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) captured in a fish trap off Newport, Rhode Island, and released the animal in Newport harbor. On 8 July 1984 the animal was found dead on the beach of Cumberland Island, Georgia, by a visitor who removed the tag. The tag was sent to the University of Florida in February 1985. Coincidentally, we had surveyed the Cumberland Island beach on the same date in 1984, and had examined four stranded loggerheads. We were unaware of the tag removal. Upon notification of the tag return, we interviewed the finder and from the description of the condition of the carcass and its location, determined that only one carcass matched. The animal stranded approximately 1571 km from the point of release. The carcass was dried with all carapace bones intact and measured 51 cm curved carapace length, 5 cm less than the length recorded at capture in Rhode Island. The discrepancy in size from the time of tagging may be due to shrinkage of the dried carcass or different measurement techniques. This record is the first for a loggerhead from New England waters and shows that movements from the more northern areas of the range to southern waters are likely, as suggested by Lazell (1976). The late Archie Carr, his associates, and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation provided tags, maintained the database, and notified us of the tag return. The Tallman and Mack Fish and Trap Company cooperated in many ways to aid in the tagging of this and numerous other turtles. Lazell, J. D., Jr. 1976. This Broken Archipelago: Cape Cod and the Islands, Amphibians and Reptiles. Demeter Press, Quadrangle/N. Y. Times Book Company. 260p. Shoop, C. R. 1987. Sea Turtles, p.357-358. In: R. H. Bachus and H. H. Bourne (eds), Georges Bank. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. C. ROBERT SHOOP, Department of Zoology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881 USA and CAROL A. RUCKDESCHEL, Cumberland Island Museum, P.O. Box 796, St. Marys, Georgia 31558 USA.

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RECENT PAPERS ARIANOUTSOU, M. 1988. Assessing the impacts of human activities on nesting of loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta L., on Zakynthos Island, Western Greece. Environ. Conserv. 15(4):327-334. M. Arianoutsou, Div. Ecol., Dept. Biol., Univ. Thessaloniki, 540 06 Thessaloniki, GREECE. BJORNDAL, K. A. and CARR, A. 1989. Variation in clutch size and egg size in the green turtle nesting population at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Herpetologica 45(2):181-189. K.A. Bjorndal, Center Sea Turtle Res., Dept. Zool., Univ. Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA. CHAN, E. H. 1989. White spot development, incubation, and hatching success of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea ) eggs from Rantau Abang, Malaysia. Copeia 1:42-47. E.H. Chan, Fish. Marine Sci. Center, Univ. Pertanian Malaysia, Mengabang Telipot, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, MALAYSIA. DAVENPORT, J., ANTIPAS, S. and BLAKE, E. 1989. Observations of gut function in young green turtles, Chelonia Mydas . Herp. J. 1:336-342. J. Davenport, Anim. Biol. Group, Mar. Sci. Lab., Menai Bridge, Gwynedd LL59 5EH, North Wales, U. K. ECKERT, K. L., ECKERT, S. A., ADAMS, T. W. and TUCKER, A. D. 1989. Inter-nesting migrations by leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the West Indies. Herpetologica 45(2):190-194. K.L. Eckert, NOAA/NMFS Southwest Fisheries Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Dr., La Jolla, California 92037 USA. GRAMENTZ, D. 1988. Prevalent epibiont sites on Caretta caretta in the Mediterranean Sea. Naturalista sicil., S. IV, XII (1-2):33-46. D. Gramentz, Földerichstrabe 7 D-1000 Berlin 20, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. KARL, H. V. 1989. Die Schildkröten aus dem marinen Mitteloligozän de DDR (Reptilia, Testudines). Mauritiana (Altenburg) 12(1989)2, S. 225-242. (German) H.V. Karl, Postfach 508, Erfurt, DDR-5010. MANDAL, D. K., RAY, A. K. and SINHA, N. K. 1989. Physical and chemical characterization of macroglobulin from marine turtle eggwhite. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 11(2):100-104. D.K. Mandal, Dept. Chemistry, Bose Inst., 93/1 Acharya Prafulla Chandra oad, Calcutta 700009, INDIA. MANZELLA, S. A., CAILLOUET, C. W., Jr., FONTAINE, C. T. 1988. Kemp's ridley, Lepidochelys kempi, sea turtle head start tag recoveries: distribution, habitat and method of recovery. Marine Fisheries Review 50(3):24-32. MARGARITOULIS, D. N. 1988. Nesting of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, on the shores of Kiparissia Bay, Greece, in 1987. Mésogée 48:59-65. D.N. Margaritoulis, Sea Turtle Protection Society, P.O. Box 51154 GR-145, 10 Kifissia, GREECE. MAXWELL, J. A., MOTARA, M. A. and FRANK, G. H. 1988. Micro-environmental study of the effect of temperature on the sex ratios of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, from Tongaland, Natal, South Africa. S. Afr. J. Zool. 32(4)342-350. J.A. Maxwell, Dept. Zool., Univ. Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000 S. AFRICA.

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MORTIMER, J. A. 1988. Management options for sea turtles: re-evaluating priorities. Florida Defenders of the Environment Bulletin 25. J. Mortimer, Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA. TARR, P. W. 1987. Non-nesting emergence by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at the Curiene river mouth, South West Africa-Namibia. Madoqua. 15(3):267-268. P.W. Tarr, Directorate Nature Conservation, Private Bag 5018, Swakopmund 9000. YIN, F. Y., FRAIR, W. and MAO, S. H. 1989. Physical and chemical properties of some turtle blood albumins with taxonomic implications. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B Comp. Biochem. 93(2)283-290. Dep. Biol. Anatomy, Natl. Defense Med. Center, Taipei, Taiwan 10700.

TECHNICAL REPORTS ALVARADO, J. and FIGUEROA, A. 1988. The ecological recovery of sea turtles of Michoacan, Mexico. Special attention: The Black Turtle, Chelonia agassizi. Final Report 1987-1988. Available from: Richard Byles, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Office, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 USA. CAILLOUET, C. W., Jr. and LANDRY, A. M., Jr (Editors). 1989. Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Biology, Conservation and Management. Texas A&M Univ., Sea Grant College Program, TAMU-SG-89-105, vi + 260p. Available from: Sea Grant College Program, Texas A&M Univ. at Galveston, P.O. Box 1675, Galveston, Texas 77553 USA. (US$ 20.00, payable to "Texas A & M University"). COLLARD, S. B. 1987. Review of oceanographic features relating to neonate sea turtle distribution and dispersal in the pelagic environment: Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempi) in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA-NMFS Final Report, contract no. 40-GFNF-500193. Limited copies available from: Sneed Collard, Biology Department, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida 32514 USA, or Larry Ogren, NOAA-NMFS, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, Florida 32407 USA. DURONSLET, M. J. et al. 1989. Kemp's Ridley head start and sea turtle research at the Galveston Laboratory: Annual Report-Fiscal Year 1988. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFC-223. Copies can be purchased from: National Technical Information Service, 5258 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161 USA. ECKERT, S. A., ECKERT, K. L and RICHARDSON, T. H. (Compilers). 1989. Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-232, 306p. Available from: Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 USA, or National Technical Information Service, 5258 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161 USA. MURPHY, T. M. and HOPKINS-MURPHY, S. R. 1989. Sea turtle and shrimp fishing interactions: A summary and critique of relevant information. 60p. Available from: Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20036. (US$ 10.00).

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LOCKHART, R. 1989. Marine Turtles of Papua New Guinea. Limited copies available from: Print Manager, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The Papau New Guinea University of Technology, Private Mail Bag, Lae, Papau New Guinea. MANZELLA, S. A., CAILLOUET, C. W., FONTAINE, C. T., WILLIAMS, T. D., INDELICATO, K. L. W., DURONSLET, M. J., REVERA, D. B., LANDRY, A. M. and STABENAU, E. K. 1988. Kemp's ridley head start and sea turtle research at the Galveston Laboratory: Annual Report-Fiscal Year 1987. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFC-201. Copies can be purchased from: National Technical Information Service, 5258 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161 USA. ROSS, J. R, BEAVERS, S., MUNDELL, D. and AIRTH-KINDREE, M. 1989. The Status of the Kemp's Ridley. Available from: Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20036. (US$ 5.00).

These NMFS reports contain sighting/distribution data for sea turtles in the Eastern Pacific: THAYER, V. G., McDONALD, B. G., ELLINGSON, J. M., OLIVER, C. W., BEHRINGER, D. W. and REILLY, S. B. 1988. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1986 Eastern Tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel, McArthur. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS. NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-404.112p. Available from: National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037. THAYER, V. G., PITMAN, P. L., RITTMASTER, K. A., THOMAS, G. G., BEHRINGER, D. W. and REILLY, S. B. 1988. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1986 Eastern Tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel, David Starr Jordan. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS. NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-105.106p. (Available as above) THAYER, V. G., REILLY, S. B., FIEDLER, P. C., OLIVER, C. W. and BEHRINGER, D. W. 1988. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1987 Eastern Tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel, McArthur. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS. NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-414. 114p. (Available as above) THAYER, V. G., REILLY, S. B., FIEDLER, P. C., PITMAN, P. L., THOMAS, G. G. and BEHRINGER, D. W. 1988. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1987 Eastern Tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel, David Starr Jordan. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS. NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-115.19p. (Avail. as above)

THESES AND DISSERTATIONS BYLES, RICHARD ALLAN. 1988. Behavior and Ecology of Sea Turtles from Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. Ph.D. Dissertation, The College of William and Mary, School of Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Williamsburg, Virginia USA. ECKERT, SCOTT ALAN. 1989. Diving and Foraging Behavior of the Leatherback Sea Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea. Ph.D. Disseration, Department of Zoology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia USA.

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LAGUEUX, CYNTHIA JEAN. 1989. Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Nesting in the Gulf of Fonseca and the Commercialization of its Eggs in Honduras. Master of Arts Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA. STINSON, MARGIE L 1984. Biology of sea turtles in San Diego Bay, California, and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Master of Science Thesis, San Diego State University, San Diego, California USA. WIBBELS, THANE RICHARD. 1988. Gonadal Steroid Endocrinology of Sea Turtle Reproduction. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Zoology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas USA.

EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN IN TURKEY : ONLY THE BEGINNING Dogal Hayati Koruma Dernegi (DHKD), The Society for the Protection of Wildlife in Turkey, is organizing a large scale campaign to educate visitors to the Iztuzu beach at Dalyan and the local people on the importance of this beach for nesting loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta. Special protection measures are now accurately carried out by the Directorate for Specially Protected Areas, headed by Tunca Toskay. DHKD, in cooperation with a German conservation organisation which is especially interested in the protection of sea turtles, Aktion Gemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA), will explain to the foreign and Turkish visitors to the beach why the protection measures are taken and what the visitors can do to help the conservation of the threatened sea turtles. Special information centers have been established on the beach and in Dalyan village, where visitors can watch videos on turtles and receive informative leaflets. The well known graphic designer Sadik Karamustafa designed a set of five postcards that is available in Turkish and English; Karamustafa received tow prestigious art awards for these designs. Furthermore, a large poster is available in Turkish and English which depicts a sea turtle asking the reader: " I am here since 95,000,000 years, and you?" Brochures in three languages are handed to tourists with a request not to camp in the area, not to set up umbrellas, not to leave litter, etc. DHKD president Nergis Yazgan says: "This is not an end but only the beginning. The good example of Dalyan, in which concern for the conservation of an ecologically important area outrode a huge touristic development plan, leading to the annulation of the whole project, we believe, will set a positive model for many areas in many countries." DHKD is aiming towards something much more ambitious: with the approval and collaboration of the Turkish government and together with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), they want a General Coastal Management Plan or the whole Turkish south coast. DHKD President Nergis Yazgan: "... otherwise piecemeal and unplanned development will ruin the whole Turkish south coast." For more information, please contact DHKD, PK 18, 80810 Bebek, Istanbul, TURKEY. Phone + 9011636324 FAX + 9011630582.

NEW INITIATIVES TO STUDY SEA TURTLES IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC Although numerous studies have been underway for some time at sea turtle nesting sites in the eastern Pacific, research on sea turtles in marine habitats of this region has been relatively scarce and not widely known. For example, an important body of data covering

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historical and current sightings, strandings, and incidental and intentional captures of turtles in the northeastern Pacific (north of 29o45'N) was compiled by Margie Stinson (1984). Her findings show that the leatherback is the most frequently encountered turtle in the area, followed by green, loggerhead and olive ridley sea turtles. Stinson's work also included tagging and monitoring a small aggregation of green turtles in San Diego Bay, near the warmwater discharge of a power plant. At present, Donna McDonald and Peter Dutton (Sea World Research Institute, San Diego) are in the process of expanding upon the work Stinson initiated in San Diego Bay. They will attempt to identify the origins and migratory habits of the turtles, while also looking into the possible influence of various pollutants known to occur in high levels within the Bay. With the help of McDonald, Dutton and others, turtle strandings in California are now being officially responded to and compiled by Joe Cordaro of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) at Terminal Island, California (tel: 213-514-6196). Another little known but important research effort has been underway in the eastern tropical Pacific by Bob Pitman (NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Center [SW17C], La Jolla, California). For several years now, on his own initiative, Pitman has been compiling sightings of turtle he has made in pelagic habitats while working on NOAA/NMFS vessels monitoring porpoise stocks in the region. Preliminary distributional maps of his findings have appeared in SWFC reports (most recently, Lierheimer et al., 1989a, 1989b). The full results of this work are currently being prepared for publication by Pitman, in collaboration with Dr. Aleta Hohn (NMFS SWFC). Pitman's work has already provided the basis for an expanded effort whereby he and Ms. Sallie Beavers (NMFS SWFC) plan to opportunistically capture, measure, tag, and collect blood samples and stomach contents from turtles encountered on the high seas. Satellite telemetry is planned (in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and Dave Owens' research group at Texas A&M University has also been assisting Beavers and Pitman in these endeavors. Project activities off Baja California (Mexico) and in other waters within 200 miles of Mexico will proceed in cooperation with Mexican sea turtle biologists, including René Marquez. Considerable interest exists in the reports of large concentrations of immature loggerheads off Baja California, since loggerheads are not known to nest to any extent in the eastern Pacific. Pitman has sighted and photographed these loggerheads, and Grant Bartlett (1989) has published a fascinating report of this phenomenon, based mainly on interviews with Mexican informants. According to Pitman, the turtles occur in an area rich with the pelagic red crab, Pleuroncodes planipes, a likely food source. The possibility exists that the loggerheads may be part of a population that nests in southern Japan. Some support for this idea has been provided by Uchida and Teruya (1988), who report the recovery of a tagged loggerhead 75 km off San Diego (32o39'N, 117o58'W) that had been released from a head start project 2.3 years earlier near Okinawa. The turtle was found entangled and dead in a drift gill net by Christopher Golden, a fisherman and graduate student at Humboldt State University, California. A second untagged turtle was also found in the net, and 12-15 others were seen in the vicinity the following day. Of related interest is the recent recovery of a 23 cm loggerhead found dead in a scrap of gill net far north of the Hawaiian Islands (39oN, 165'W) (NMFS unpubl. data). This finding is consistent with the transpacific movement for young loggerheads proposed by Uchida and Teruya (1988). Another new project complementing the work of Beavers and Pitman is a planned NMFS shipboard observer program to record turtles incidentally caught by U.S. tuna purse seiners in the eastern Pacific. Preliminary reports from the mid-1970's suggest that the take of turtles and resulting mortality in this fishery is low. However, more current information is needed to ensure a sound plan for conservation. The tagging, measuring, and release of live turtles captured by purse seiners may also be possible in this observer program. 20

Lastly, the recent "migration" and residency of Drs. Scott and Karen Eckert (MTN Editors) to southern California will surely result in new and exciting work on turtles in the eastern Pacific. As a SWFC researcher based in Honolulu, my own interest in sea turtles of the eastern Pacific arises from several factors. For one thing, the leatherbacks, olive ridleys, and possibly some of the green turtles found in Hawaiian waters may very well originate from this region. In addition, this past January 1 had the opportunity to spend three days visiting coastal sites in southern California where turtles are sometimes seen or have stranded, such as near Encina power plant at Carlsbad and the San Babriel River in Long Beach. This reconnaissance was made possible with support from the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where 1 had been invited to speak about sea turtles to the membership. I have also been intrigued for years by the narratives of shipwreck victims who, while adrift in the eastern Pacific, have frequently encountered turtles and used them for food to survive (Robertson, 1973; Bailey and Bailey, 1974). These fascinating accounts are required reading for anyone interested in unraveling the mysteries of turtles in their pelagic habitats. Significant opportunities clearly exist to learn more about the lives of turtles at sea in the eastern Pacific. During the coming years, conservation efforts are sure to benefit from the research initiatives taking hold at this time. Bailey, M. and Bailey, M. 1974. Staying alive! Ballantine Books, New York, 129p. Bartlett, G. 1989. Juvenile Caretta off the Pacific coast of Baja California. Noticias Caguamas 2:2-10. Lierheimer, L. L, Fielder, P. C., Reilly, S. B., Pitman, R. L., Ballance, L. T., Thomas, G. G. and Behringer, D. W. 1989a. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1988 eastern tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel David Starr Jordan. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-TM-NMFS-SWFC-131,125p. Lierheimer, L. L, Fielder, P. C., Reilly, S. B., Pitman, R. L., Ballance, L. T. and Behringer, D. W. 1989b. Report of ecosystem studies conducted during the 1988 eastern tropical Pacific dolphin survey on the research vessel McArthur. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFSTM-NMFS-SWFC-132,121p. Robertson, D. 1973. Survive the savage sea. Bantam Books, New York, 249p. Stinson, M. L. 1984. Biology of sea turtles in San Diego Bay, California, and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Master's thesis, San Diego State University, San Diego, 578p. Uchida, S. and Teruya, H. 1988. Transpacific migration of a tagged loggerhead, Caretta caretta . Intl. Symp. Sea Turtles, Hiwasa, Japan. Poster presentation. GEORGE H. BALAZS, Southwest Fisheries Center Honolulu Laboratory, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, HAWAII 96822-2396 USA.

LEGAL BRIEFS TED COMPLIANCE: Law enforcement reports for the period 8-22 September 1989 indicate excellent compliance by the shrimp industry regarding installation and use of

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Trawling Efficiency Devices (TEDs). Over 354 vessels were boarded and over 320 had TEDs installed. The boardings resulted in only 34 documented violations out of the 354 vessels boarded. Reports indicate that some of the major shrimp fleet owners in Texas have installed TEDs on every vessel they own. One owner installed TEDs on his entire fleet of 53 vessels. Source: "NMFS Newsbreaker", 18 October 1989, No. 89-09. * * * HEAD STARTED TURTLES RELEASED: The Sea Turtle Head Start Research Project of the NOAA Fisheries Service's Southeast Fisheries Center, Galveston Laboratory, released the 1988 head start year-class of Kemp's ridley sea turtles on 25 May 1989 offshore of Mustang and North Padre Islands, Texas USA. A total of 809 turtles (96.2% survival), weighing between 500 and 1000 grams total weight, were released from the University of Texas, Institute of Marine Science, research vessel LONGHORN. This was the 11th yearly release in the head start series resulting in 14,592 turtles being released into the Gulf of Mexico. Source: "NMFS Newsbreaker", 3 August 1989, No. 89-07. * * * STRANDINGS INCREASE: There were more stranded turtles (n = 44) reported to the Georgia Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) (Georgia Department of Natural Resources) in August than any month since June 1987. The large majority of these were loggerheads (n = 40), but there was one Kemp's ridley and two specimens which were not conclusively identified. This total is a sharp increase over July, and reveals an aberration in the seasonal trends that have been observed by the STSSN since 1980. Until 1988, the peak months for strandings have been June and July. Source: Charles Maley, Georgia STSSN State Coordinator, STSSN, Memo., 12 September 1989.

WANTED : DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION The Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) announces the opening of the position of Director of Research and Conservation. The Director develops, with the Executive Director, and administers the marine turtle research and conservation program of the CCC. CCC activities are worldwide with an emphasis in the Atlantic. Projects address life history and population monitoring and conservation projects; marine turtle interpretation and public education projects; and fostering adoption of and compliance with conservation laws and international conservation treaties. The CCC operates the Green Turtle Research Station at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, site of the largest nesting colony of the green turtle in the Atlantic Ocean. The CCC is establishing an internationally recognized environmental interpretation and extension center at Tortuguero as well as implementing a comprehensive plan to conserve this unique region. This is a permanent position and it reports to the Executive Director. The Director may also expect to work with the CCC's Marine Turtle Scientific Advisory Committee, and may collaborate with the Center for Sea Turtle Research (University of Florida). The candidate should have at least a Masters degree in an appropriate discipline with substantial experience in the field. Excellent verbal and writing skills, particularly grant writing, is vital. Compensation (includes health insurance) will be commensurate with qualifications. Interested qualified individuals should send their resumé and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references to: Caribbean Conservation Corporation, P.O. Box 2866, Gainesville, Florida 32602 USA (tel: 904-373-6441; FAX: 904-375-2449). 22

ST. CROIX FIELD DIRECTORS SOUGHT Two people needed (preferably a couple) to run the St. Croix Leatherback Sea Turtle Recovery Project on Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. Will be responsible for day to day supervision /management of data collection, volunteers, data compilation and analysis, and report writing. This job is for two people who are willing to do beach patrols from 8:00 PM until 5:30 AM every night from 1 April until the end of August. Field assistance is provided by teams of volunteers from EARTHWATCH Inc. Good accommodations are provided at a beachside complex of guest cottages. There are ample opportunities for independent research. Starting salary is US$ 15,000 for the couple (combined) under contract to the U. S. Virgin Islands Government. Interested qualified persons should send their resumé to: RALF BOULON, Endangered Species Coordinator, Division of Fish and Wildlife, 101 Estate Nazareth, St. Thomas, USV1 00802.

ASSISTANCE REQUESTED Please be informed that during this year a tagging program with marine turtles will be initiated in Cuba. The program will be aimed primarily at the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), but other species will be tagged if possible. The program will be carried out by the Fisheries Research Center (C.I.P.) and the Experimental Nursery Department of the Ministry of Fisheries (M.I.P.). Tags are labelled "CIP-MIP"' Cuba and begin with series CU 0101 - CU 1000. Tags should be returned to the following address: Fisheries Research Center (C.I.P.) Ministry of Fisheries (M.I.P.) Barlovento, Santa Fé, Playa Citidad Habana, CUBA Thank you in advance for your support in this endeavor. ELVIRA CARRILLO CARDENAS, Director, Directorate of Fishery Regulations, and ANTONIO CARCEDO FERRER, Director, International Relationships, M.I.P.

TURTLE TALE TRUE ? MANILA (AP) -- A giant sea turtle towed five weak and weary survivors to safety after their boat sank during the height of tropical storm Brenda, a newspaper in the Philippines reported Saturday. The nationally circulated Philippine Daily Inquirer said the survivors were passengers on the nine-ton vessel Albert, which sank Tuesday during the storm off the southeastern tip of Luzon Island. The Inquirer quoted one of the survivors, Emilia Briones, 25, as saying the five stayed afloat for three days on a makeshift raft before they spotted the sea turtle. They tied the raft to one of the turtle's legs and the big [reptile] towed the craft for two hours before they were spotted by fishermen in the coastal town of Presentacion, about 320 kin southeast of Manila, Briones was quoted as saying. Briones said there were 10 people on the raft but five of them were swept away by waves and drowned. Briones said the survivors released the turtle after they were rescued by the fishermen. A coast guard spokesman confirmed the report about fishermen saving the survivors but would not say whether the report about the turtle was true. Contributed by BARRY SPENCER, Chief, Visitor Services, Kouchibouguac National Park, Kouchibouguac, New Brunswick EOA 2A0 CANADA, from The Times-Transcript, Moncton, New Brunswick, 22 May 1989. 23

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Marine Turtle Newsletter (MTN) publishes manuscripts that deal largely or exclusively with marine turtles. The aims of the MTN are: (1) to provide a forum for exchange of information about all aspects of marine turtle biology and conservation, and (2) to alert interested people to particular threats to marine turtles, as they arise (Mrosovsky, 1976, MTN 1: 1). The MTN is published quarterly (January, April, July, October) and is distributed free of charge to all interested persons. To the extent that donations are sufficient to meet the need, the policy of free distribution will continue. Manuscripts should be addressed to the Editors at the address on the letterhead. Articles should be submitted in English. Articles received in foreign languages will not be refused, but please remember that translation is expensive and thus we ask that all efforts be made on the part of the contributor to submit the text in English. In return, every effort will be made to assist those not fluent in English with the refinement of their English text. Articles should be legibly typewritten and double-spaced (generally 1-8 pages, including references and figures). The authors' name, affiliation and address should be provided. Tables and figures should include brief captions; graphics should be clear and "camera ready" (large lettering is appreciated since most figures are reduced before printing). The Editors retain the privilege of soliciting peer comment on any manuscript submitted and may request that the author(s) revise the article according to comments received. The WIN welcomes the results of original research, field survey findings, advances in field and laboratory techniques, book reviews, and informal status reports from research/ conservation/management programs with sea turtles around the world. In addition, notes on changes in the legal status of sea turtles, public awareness programs, the availability of new educational materials (include the name and address of the distributor and the cost of the item, if applicable), job announcements (paid or volunteer), and notification of newly published scientific papers, technical reports and academic theses are all appropriate contributions. Readers are also encouraged to alert the Newsletter to letter-writing campaigns and other activities which may need the support of the sea turtle research and conservation community. Finally, the MTN serves as a conduit for debate and discussion. In this role, contributions on any aspect of the legal or scientific status of sea turtles, and on conservation philosophy, are welcome, indeed, are necessary if the Newsletter is to be successful in the role it was designed to play.

* * * * PLEASE NOTE A NEW ADDRESS FOR THE EDITORS OF THE MARINE TURTLE NEWSLETTER * * * *

Please accept our apologies for publication delays associated with our move. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Partial funding for NITN 47 was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ernest Hall (Marquette, Michigan USA), Nancy Linsley (Kaneohe, Hawaii USA), Amy Talbot (Dallas, Texas USA) and Joseph Dinardo (Levittown, Pennsylvania USA). The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily shared by the Editors, the Editorial Board, The University of California, or any individuals or organizations providing financial support. 24