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ESR 40:41-52 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00979

Distribution and growth rates of immature hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Cláudio Bellini1, Armando J. B. Santos2, Ana R. Patrício3,4, Luís Felipe W. Bortolon2, Brendan J. Godley3, Maria A. Marcovaldi5, Dominic Tilley3, Liliana P. Colman3,*

1Centro TAMAR-ICMBio, Natal, RN, 59160-530, Brazil
2Fundação Pró-Tamar, Fernando de Noronha, PE, 53990-000, Brazil
3Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus TR10 9EZ, UK
4MARE - Marine and Environmental Science Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, 1749-016, Portugal
5Fundação Pró-Tamar, Salvador, BA, 41815-135, Brazil
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of life history parameters is essential for the effective management of species of conservation concern. For migratory marine vertebrates such as hawksbill sea turtles Eretmochelys imbricata, feeding aggregations are important developmental habitats, allowing the study of population dynamics. Here, we used data from a 31 yr mark-recapture study of juvenile hawksbill sea turtles in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil, to estimate key demographic parameters. Turtles recruit to the neritic habitat at similar sizes to those of other Atlantic hawksbill aggregations. The curved carapace length (CCL) at the first capture ranged from 28 to 84 cm (mean ± SD: 44.6 ± 9.8 cm). Median minimum residence time of turtles captured at least twice was 3.2 yr, whilst long-term minimum residence of up to 14 yr was also observed, with turtles showing site fidelity within the archipelago. The mean size of turtles captured was constant throughout time. Turtles grew on average 3.4 ± 2.2 cm yr-1, with a monotonic expected growth rate function generally decreasing with increasing size. At these rates, hawksbill turtles in Fernando de Noronha would need to spend ca. 14-18 yr to reach minimum adult breeding size (~74 cm CCL). This mark-recapture study has been essential to understanding the ecology and demographic parameters of this regional hawksbill turtle neritic foraging ground.


KEY WORDS: Hawksbill turtle · Eretmochelys imbricata · Immature · Foraging grounds · Capture-mark-recapture · Growth rates · Brazil


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Cite this article as: Bellini C, Santos AJB, Patrício AR, Bortolon LFW and others (2019) Distribution and growth rates of immature hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. Endang Species Res 40:41-52. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00979

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