Incubation temperatures, hatching success and congenital anomalies in green turtle nests from Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba

Randy Calderón; Julia Azanza Ricardo

doi:10.3153/AR21027

EN

Incubation temperatures, hatching success and congenital anomalies in green turtle nests from Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba

Abstract

Elevated incubation temperatures of sea turtle nests decrease hatching success and alter the resulting hatchlings' morphology. There is an absence of studies assessing the relationships between temperature and hatching success in Cuba, even when they could improve understanding the limits of thermal tolerance in these species. This study evaluated the influence of incubation temperature on hatching success and phenotypic malformations in green turtle hatchlings (Chelonia mydas); and analyzed the temporal variation in hatching success on the studied beaches. In 48 green turtles nests distributed along two beaches, incubation temperature and hatching success were recorded between 2014 and 2019. Increasing incubation temperature caused a decrease in the hatching success and an increase in the frequency of supernumerary scutes. Despite the elevated temperatures (average > 30°C), hatching was higher than 80%. Significant differences in hatching success were only observed among seasons for nests in Antonio Beach (lower values in 2016 and 2019 compared to 2014).

Keywords

Supporting Institution

The Ocean Foundation, the SEE Turtles, and Sea Turtle Conservancy provided for the logistical support of the temperature monitoring program. Guanahacabibes National Park administration provided all the camp logistic in the nesting areas.

Thanks

To the workers and volunteers for their effort in the conservation of marine turtles in Cuba.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Hydrobiology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Randy Calderón
0000-0001-7712-2944
Cuba

Julia Azanza Ricardo ^*
0000-0002-9454-9226
Cuba

Publication Date

October 1, 2021

Submission Date

December 15, 2020

Acceptance Date

March 25, 2021

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Volume: 4 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3153/AR21027

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA28UD57GW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Calderón, R., & Azanza Ricardo, J. (2021). Incubation temperatures, hatching success and congenital anomalies in green turtle nests from Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba. Aquatic Research, 4(4), 321-330. https://doi.org/10.3153/AR21027

Öz

Incubation temperatures, hatching success and congenital anomalies in green turtle nests from Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Cuba

Abstract

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Thanks

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite