Epibionts Reflect Spatial and Foraging Ecology of Gulf of Mexico Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta)

• DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.696412
• Publication Date: 2021-07-02T04:24:36Z
• Authors: Ian Silver-Gorges; Jeroen Ingels; Giovanni A. P. do...; Yirina Valdes; Leticia P. Pontes; Alexsandra C. Silva; Patricia F. Neres; Arvind Shantharam; Destin Perry; Andrew Richterkes...; Sofia Sanchez-Zarate; Laura Acevedo; Anthony J. Gillis; Simona A. Ceriani; Mariana M. P. B. ...
• Keywords: Epibiont; Meiobenthos

Sea turtles are exposed to numerous threats during migrations their foraging grounds and at those locations. Therefore, information on sea turtle spatial ecology can guide conservation initiatives, yet it is difficult directly observe migrating or turtles. To gain insights into the of turtles, studies have increasingly analyzed epibionts nesting as must overlap spatially ecologically with hosts colonize successfully. Epibiont analysis may be integrated stable isotope identify taxa that serve indicators ecology, but few pursued this. determine if loggerhead in northern Gulf Mexico we combined taxonomic epibiont analysis. We sampled 22 individual identified over 120,000 individuals, belonging 34 macrofauna (>1 mm) meiofauna (63 μm–1 mm), including 111 nematode genera. quantified epidermis δ 13 C 15 N, used these assign broad regions. The abundance presence nematodes did not differ between inferred regions, select differentiated three Further, dissimilarities macrofauna, meiofauna, assemblages corresponded values within This suggests certain indicative regions by Mexico, habitat use specialization Continued sampling beaches globally, coupled satellite telemetry and/or dietary studies, expand upon our findings develop efficient ecology.