Molecular evidence of male-biased dispersal in loggerhead turtle juveniles

Serum testosterone levels and mtDNA haplotypes were obtained from 65 juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta, L.) incidentally caught in the central Mediterranean. The group of specimens carrying a haplotype specific for the northwest Atlantic had higher testosterone levels, and so included mor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
Main Authors: CASALE, PAOLO, Laurent, Luc, Gerosa, Guido, Argano, Roberto
Other Authors: Casale, Paolo
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2002
Subjects:
Caretta caretta
Dispersal
Mediterranean Sea
Sex ratio
Aquatic Science
Ecology
Evolution
Behavior and Systematic
Northwest Atlantic
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11568/825514
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(01)00365-3
Description
Summary:Serum testosterone levels and mtDNA haplotypes were obtained from 65 juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta, L.) incidentally caught in the central Mediterranean. The group of specimens carrying a haplotype specific for the northwest Atlantic had higher testosterone levels, and so included more males, than the other one. Since primary sex ratios of northwest Atlantic colonies are strongly skewed towards females, results indicate a male bias among Atlantic turtles entering the Mediterranean. This demonstrates for the first time a sex-biased dispersal of specimens in the pelagic phase, an important factor to be considered in conservation programs. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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