Abstract

Sea turtles are reptiles that have inhabited the earth for 100 million years. These are divided into 2 families (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) and 7 species of sea turtles in the world: the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea); hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata); Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii); olive ridley (L. olivacea); Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta); flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). In particular, Kemp’s ridley is included in the red list of IUCN categorized as “critically endangered”. The most important site around the Word is in Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Where 80–95% of the world’s nesting is concentrated. Other nesting areas are Tepeguajes and Barra del Tordo, in Tamaulipas, and with less intensity in Veracruz (Lechuguillas and El Raudal beaches) and South Padre Island, Texas, USA. They deposit an average of about 90 eggs and hatching takes 40 to 60 days. Therefore, they are vulnerable to different anthropogenic activities and sources of pollution, such as heavy metals, which can cause toxic effects that are harmful to the turtles, damage their physiology and health. To understand the real situation about health and genetic parameters it is necessary to analyze biochemical and molecular factors in this species.

Highlights

  • The Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) was one of the most elusive sea turtles, and its nesting sites were unknown

  • This footage documented Kemp’s ridley nesting and that this was a mass nesting event or “arribada” which was happening in broad daylight which was different to other sea turtles such as the green turtles which nest at night [2]

  • Brevetoxins are a group of biotoxins produced mainly by algae Karenia brevis, which is the cause of the main harmful algal blooms (HABs) along the coast of south-west Florida, with periodic blooms throughout the Gulf of Mexico [24]

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Summary

Introduction

The Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) was one of the most elusive sea turtles, and its nesting sites were unknown. In 1880, Garman named the species after Richard Kemp who had a fascination for natural history and sent specimens of the turtles to Garman for study. It was Kemp who first thought the turtles were hybrids from a mating between green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles, their nickname of bastard turtles [1]. Another authority in the kemps ridley story was Archie Carr, who wrote several publications on the species He was unable to locate the turtles nesting sites. One of his disciples and collaborators, Peter Pritchard, continued this work and established the species morphometric measurements and other key information, such as foraging sites, but the search for the nesting sites of the mysterious Kemp’s ridley was unsuccessful

Discovery
Population
Morphology
Life cycle
Biogeography
Terrestrial zone (Hatching)
Neritic zone (juvenile stage and adult stage)
Oceanic zone
Threats
Illegal hunting: direct consumption and illegal trade
Climate change
Marine pollution: rubbish and oil
Bycatch
Coastal development: beach modification and human presence
Marine biotoxins
Satellite telemetry
Biochemical studies
Heavy metal studies
Molecular studies
Findings
Conclusion
Full Text
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