Argentinian coastal waters: A temperate habitat for three species of threatened sea turtles

Summer-restricted migration of green turtles Chelonia mydas to a temperate habitat of the northwest Pacific Ocean

“…Thus, the occurrence of green turtles in this area is strictly limited to summer and autumn. This seasonal bycatch pattern was similar to the pattern observed in temperate areas of the Atlantic Ocean (Epperly et al 1995, González Carman et al 2011. Moreover, the majority of turtles were captured when water temperature was higher than 20°C, indicating that the Sanriku Coast is a seasonal habitat for green turtles.…”

“…Furthermore, juvenile green turtles in Australia displayed strong feeding site fidelity over many years (Limpus et al 1994). Some studies have documented the presence of juvenile green turtles in temperate foraging areas during the summer (Epperly et al 1995, González Carman et al 2011), and González Carman et al (2012 reported that juvenile green turtles in the southwest Atlantic Ocean migrated to lower latitude waters during the winter. On the other hand, winter dormancy of juvenile and adult green turtles has been observed in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California (Carr & Caldwell 1956, Felger et al 1976).…”

Revisiting the ontogenetic shift paradigm: The case of juvenile green turtles in the SW Atlantic

“…Its life history encompasses a diversity of ecosystems, from oceanic to neritic habitats, in tropical as well as temperate latitudes (González Carman et al, 2011;Hirth, 1997;Prosdocimi et al, 2012). The species is known to undergo an abrupt and irreversible ontogenetic shift in foraging habits early in life (Arthur et al, 2008;Bolten, 2003;Reich et al, 2007).…”

New records of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) (Testudines, Cheloniidae) provide evidence that Uruguayan waters are the southernmost limit of distribution for the species in the western Atlantic Ocean

“…This result suggests the western Atlantic nesting colonies (Suriname, French Guyana, and Brazil) may be a main contributors of L. olivacea along the southwestern Atlantic. Furthermore, the turtles recorded in this study were subadults and adults, and thus able to swim independently of oceanic currents and cover large distances in search of feeding areas such as the Rio de la Plata and adjacent waters, which is considered as a key foraging ground for many marine species (Brazeiro et al 2003, López-Mendilaharsu 2009, Botto et al 2011, González-Carman et al 2011. This fact and the increase in population numbers at nesting colonies in Brazil (Silva et al 2007), suggest that these new records represent a possible expansion of this population towards the southern latitudes.…”

“…In addition, this area is influenced by a subtropical convergence, a junction of 2 ocean currents, a warm water current from Brazil and a cold water current from Malvinas (Palma et al 2009). The convergence of water masses, along with the halocline, allows for high biological productivity in Uruguayan coastal waters (Brazeiro et al 2003, López-Mendilaharsu 2009, Botto et al 2011, González-Carman et al 2011.…”