This study reports a viable means of identifying the vitellogenic cycle and limited estrus period in hawksbill turtles for the purposes of developing captive breeding program, based on the combination of blood metabolite parameters (triglyceride, total protein, and calcium levels), feeding status, and ovary condition. Follicle size of two focal captive females showed clear seasonal changes, with major development occurring between March and May (19.0-24.4 mm), and exceeding 25 mm between June and September. Triglyceride, total protein, and calcium levels dropped with follicular development and maintenance (March to October), and then began to rise when follicular retraction occurred from October onwards. The two focal turtles reduced food intake during intensive follicular development (April to May). These findings suggest that blood metabolite parameters and feeding conditions are inferred by the vitellogenic cycle. An additional 10 females exhibiting follicular development were mated with a single male for 7-day period between May and June. Follicle size was measured immediately prior to pairing, and a statistically significant difference in follicle size of 10 females was recorded between the seven failed (20.9 mm) and three successful (23.6 mm) mating events. This indicates follicle development is essential to successful mate and monitoring of vitellogenic cycle may help improve the success rates of captive hawksbill breeding programs.

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The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria were applied to 845 reef-building coral species, comprised of 827 zooxanthellate coral species (Order Scleractinia), and 18 species from the families Helioporidae, Tubiporidae and Milleporidae. The vast majority of coral species were assessed under Criterion A, which is based on population reduction. Six species were assessed under Criterion B, which is based on geographic range size, and is relevant for species with smaller distributions and with a few or highly fragmented populations. Three species were assessed under Criterion D, which is only used for species with very small or restricted populations. No Criteria were applied to the 141 species that were listed as Data Deficient, due to taxonomic discrepancies or to insufficient information on distribution or life history traits for further assessment. Application of Criterion ACriterion A is based on rates of population reduction measured over the longer of 10 years or three generation lengths. The IUCN definition of generation length is the average age of parents or mature individuals of the current cohort of newborn individuals (IUCN 2000). The use of generation length as a timeframe to measure population reduction accounts for the reproductive capacity and life span of each species and acts THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™

The aim of this study was to record the age and body size of 23 captive female hawksbill turtles at the onset of follicular development. The age, straight carapace length (SCL), and body mass (BM) of the turtles were recorded between 2006 and 2014 at follicular development (determined via ultrasonography) these parameters were 17.7 ± 1.7 years (range: 13-20 years), 77.7 ± 3.3 cm (73.3-83.5 cm), and 61.1 ± 8.0 kg (48.2-76.1 kg), respectively. When the year of the onset of follicular development was designated year 0, the increase in SCL in years -7-0 and 0-3 averaged 2.2 cm and 1.0 cm, respectively. Correspondingly, the increase in BM in years -7-0 and 0-3 averaged 5.0 kg and 2.2 kg, respectively. This is the first study to report the age and body size of captive female hawksbill turtles at the onset of follicular development, which indicates the beginning of sexual maturation. The reduction in growth after follicular development suggests that at the onset of sexual maturation, female hawksbills may utilize energy for follicular development rather than growth.

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