Carapacial scute variation in loggerhead turtles, caretta caretta

Abstract

The carapacial scutes of 3511 specimens of hatchling and adult Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) from five different nesting beaches in Turkey and Cyprus (Dalyan, Fethiye, Belek, Kızılot and Karpaz) were examined. Scutes were examined with regard to variation within carapacial scute series and variation in carapacial scute pattern. The vertebral, costal and marginal series were the most variable and the supracaudal scute was extremely stable for the hatchlings. The adult scute pattern showed stability for all scutes except the marginal series. The most common scute pattern observed was 12 pairs of marginals, 5 pairs of costals, 5 vertebrals, 2 supracaudals and a single nuchal.