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Population Study of the Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata (Cheloniidae) in the Southern Pacific region of Colombia

2014; National University of Colombia; Volume: 19; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.15446/abc.v19n3.42434

1900-1649

Alexander Tobón-López, Diego Fernando Amorocho Llanos,

Ichthyology and Marine Biology

The objective of this research was to determine biological and ecological population characteristics of the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata ) found in the southern Colombian Pacific department of Cauca. Morphometric measurements were recorded, the health status of individuals was reviewed, and blood samples were taken for a biochemistry assessment. During the seven months of the investigation, 25 hawksbill turtles were caught (16 different individuals) on the reefs of Gorgona Natural National Park. Forty-six percent of the total numbers of turtles assessed were recaptured during the study period. While no obvious health problems were noted, most animals possessed epibionts and filamentous algae covering the carapace, some parts of the limbs, as well as on their neck. Curved carapace length (CCL) showed the highest proportion of individuals were between 37 and 45 cm. Sixteen individuals captured in Gorgona Natural National Park were compared with 11 individuals captured in the coastal zone of the department of Cauca. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, a significant difference in CCL was found between these two groups; the animals from Gorgona National Park were larger than those present on the coast of the mainland (Z = -2.59, p = 0.007). Uric acid concentrations were found to be higher than previously referenced values. ESTUDIO POBLACIONAL DE LA TORTUGA CAREY Eretmochelys imbricata (CHELONIIDAE) EN EL PACIFICO SUR DE COLOMBIA El objetivo de esta investigacion fue conocer aspectos poblacionales, biologicos y ecologicos de las tortugas carey (Eretmochelys imbricata) presentes en el Pacifico sur de Colombia (Departamento del Cauca), para esto se tomo informacion de morfometria, se reviso el estado de salud de los individuos y se tomaron muestras de sangre para valoracion de quimica sanguinea. Durante siete meses de muestreo se capturaron 25 tortugas carey (16 individuos diferentes) en los arrecifes del Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, con un porcentaje de recaptura del 46 %. Aunque no se notaron problemas evidentes de salud, la mayoria de animales presentaron gran parte del caparazon cubierto de algas filamentosas y algunos epibiontes sobre el plastron y el caparazon. La Longitud Curva Caparazon (LCC) mostro una mayor proporcion de individuos con tallas entre 37 y 45cm de longitud (prom. 42,3 cm; min. 37,5 cm; max. 58 cm). Por medio de la prueba de Mann Whitney U, se comparo la LCC de los 16 individuos diferentes capturados en el PNN Gorgona, con 11 individuos capturados en la zona del litoral del Departamento del Cauca, encontrandose diferencias significativas entre estos dos grupos, donde los animales presentes en el PNN Gorgona fueron de mayor talla que los presentes en el continente (Z = -2,59; p = 0,007). Los valores de acido urico se encontraron por encima de los valores de referencia.