Invertebrate infestation in green turtle (Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758)) andloggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)) nests on Alata Beach, Mersin, Turkey

Authors

CEMİL AYMAK
REMZİYE SERAP ERGENE
YUSUF KATILMIŞ
AŞKIN HASAN UÇAR

Abstract

Invertebrate infestation in sea turtle nests (Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas) was recorded for the first time for Alata beach, Mersin, Turkey. A total of 121 green and 32 loggerhead nests were recorded and 34 (22.22%) of these were examined in terms of the invertebrate faunal composition. The specimens found in the nests were identified to order, family, or genus levels and they were represented as 5 orders. These invertebrate groups are Pimelia sp. larvae (Tenebrionidae; Coleoptera), Elater sp. larvae (Elateridae; Coleoptera), Scarabaeidae larvae (Coleoptera), Muscidae (Diptera), Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta), Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera), and Cyrptostigmata (Acari).

DOI

10.3906/zoo-1509-26

Keywords

Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, nest, invertebrate infestation, Pimelia sp., Alata beach, Turkey

First Page

753

Last Page

761

Recommended Citation

AYMAK, C, ERGENE, R. S, KATILMIŞ, Y, & UÇAR, A. H (2017). Invertebrate infestation in green turtle (Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758)) andloggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)) nests on Alata Beach, Mersin, Turkey. Turkish Journal of Zoology 41 (4): 753-761. https://doi.org/10.3906/zoo-1509-26