Surfacing Behavior of the Marine Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata

Abstract

Marine turtles are accomplished divers capable of making extended breath-hold dives (Berkson, 1966) and frequenting great depths (Landis, 1965; Eckert et al., 1986). Because aquatic respiration in non-hibernating turtles is minimal (Lutz and Bentley, 1985), the animals are obliged to periodically rise to the surface to breathe. Adaptations in lung structure (Lutz and Bentley, 1985) and blood properties (Friedman et al., 1985) facilitate a rapid gas exchange in marine turtles. Ventilation in large turtles is completed after taking only a few deep breaths (Tenney et al., 1974), allowing these animals to resume benthic activities with min-