Copeia: Growth rate of wild green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at a temperate foraging area in the Gulf of California, Mexico
- wallacejnichols
- Aug. 1, 2002
Abstract
Growth rates recorded between 1995 and 2001 for green turtles in the central Gulf of California were analyzed using nonparametric regression modeling. A mixed longitudinal sampling design provided 21 growth rate estimates from 19 turtles recaptured at intervals ≥ 11 months. Initial straight carapace length (SCL) of turtles ranged from 58.6–93.8 cm. Growth rates ranged from 0.2 cm/yr to 3.4 cm/yr. The size-specific growth rate function was nonmonotonic, rising steadily from slightly under 1.0 cm/yr in the smallest sizes (approximately 60 cm SCL) to a maximum growth rate of 1.5 cm/yr at about 85 cm SCL, then declining to just over 1 cm/yr for turtles > 90 cm SCL. Mean annual growth was 1.4 cm/yr. We estimate turtles require 9–21 yr in this neritic habitat to attain maturity. These data represent the first information on wild green turtle growth in temperate regions of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
