Commensals found on Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles in Other diseases (Musick et al., 1985 Keinath et al., 1991). Subsequent drowning) puncture wounds from gunshot or gaff cold stunning and bone and Propeller wounds, entanglement in gill nets, crab pot lines, and pound net leaders (with In the ocean, hatchlings are eaten by sea bass, and individuals of all sizeĬlasses are killed by sharks (Ernst and Barbour, 1972). Preyed upon by birds, mammals, and crabs when they are crawling to the sea after nestĮmergence. = 54).Įggs in nests are eaten by a variety of animals, including humans, and the hatchlings are = 30.0) incubation period was 50-70 days (ave. Eggs were spherical, 35.0-44.5 mm in diameter (ave. Up to three clutches were laid by each female at Hirth (1980b) reported that female ridleys (59.5-75.0 cm CL) laidĪn average of 110 eggs (54-185) per nest. "arrival"), crawling ashore during the day between April and July and laying their eggs on Mating takes place in water off the beach just before nesting (Ernst and Barbour, 1989a), which occurs at 1- or 2-year intervals (Hirth, 1980b).įemales arrive on shore singly or in large groups called ar- ribadas (Spanish for Occurs on one beach on the coast of Tamaulipas, Mexico (Hirth, 1980b) no nesting occurs in Other prey recorded for this species are clams, snails, and, occasionally, marineĪge at maturity is >8-10 years (Keinath et al., 1991). Primarily blue crabs ( Callinectes sapidus) found in seagrass beds (Lutcavage and Musick,ġ985). Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles use the Chesapeake Bay as a summer feeding area (Hardy, 1962) and eat Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle frequent shallower water than loggerheads, particularly shoal areas During the period of 1979-1990, 53 live, 8 sick or injured, and 88ĭead ridleys were recorded by Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) personnel (KeinathĮt al., 1991). Individuals in this size class each summer (Keinath et al., 1987).Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles are found in theīay May through November when the water temperature is above 18-20☌ (Musick et al., 1985 The bay is a majorĭevelopmental habitat for immature Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles no other location in the world harbors as many In the Chesapeake Bay, these turtles are often associated with eelgrass meadows (Lutcavage and Musick, 1985). Pleural scutes, of which the 1st does not touch the cervical scute.īiology: Lepidochelys kempii inhabits marine waters (Eretmochelys imbricata), which have a triangular anteriormost vertebral scute and 4 Loggerhead Sea Turtles ( Caretta caretta), which are reddish brown in color, larger, and possessģ enlarged bridge scutes, or with Green Sea Turtles ( Chelonia mydas) and Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtles = 42.7) and weighed 13.5-21.0 gĬonfusing Species: This species may be confused with Hatchlings may be entirely chocolate brown (J. The flippers and carapace are edged in white (Ernst andīarbour, 1972). These turtles are dark gray toīlack dorsally and ventrally. With 3 longitudinal keels on the 1st 3 vertebral scutes. Juveniles: Hatchlings have elongated, oval shells Posterior margin of the carapace it does not in adult females. The tail in adult males extends beyond the Sexual Dimorphism: There is no apparent sexualĭimorphism in body size (Wilson and Zug, 1991). Each fore-flipper bears 1 large claw and sometimes a very small 2d Which cannot be withdrawn into shell, wide (18.2-28.2% of CL Lutcavage, 1981) andĬoloration and Pattern: Carapace usually gray inĬolor but sometimes greenish or blackish bridge and hingeless plastron white head and Inframarginal scutes on each bridge, each with a small pore near posterior margin head, Side, pleurals 5/5, and vertebrals 5 anteriormost vertebral rhomboidal in shape, and it andġst pleural scute on each side contact cervical scute on leading edge of carapace 4 large Serrated along the posterior margin carapace as wide as long marginal scutes 12-14 on each Morphology: Carapace smooth, keeled, round, and In Virginia, the largest known Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle was 58.7 cm curved CL Reaching a maximum of 76 cm (29.5 inches) carapace length (CL) and 49 kg (108.5 lb) body The current spelling of kempii was established by Carrĭescription: This is the smallest sea turtle, This species has been included under the name Caretta kempi (Dunn, 1936) and L. It wasįirst placed in the genus Lepidochelys by Barr (1890). Smith and Taylor (1950) restricted the type locality to Key West, Florida. (Colpochelys) Kempii by Samuel Garman in 1880, based on two specimens from the Gulf of Systematics: Described originally as Thalassochelys
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