hrvatski

Molluscs in the diet of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

We analysed diet of 28 loggerhead sea turtles found dead stranded or incidentally captured by fisheries in Croatia and Slovenia in 2001– 2004, with the curved carapace length ranging from 25.0 to 51.3 cm (mean: 35.3 cm, SD: 5.3). Molluscs were isolated from digestive tract contents and preserved in 4% buffered formaldehyde. Molluscan items were later identified to the lowest taxon possible, dried at 95º C for 24h and dry weighted (d.w.). Molluscs (Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda and Scaphopoda) were the highest ranked prey in the total diet of loggerheads (41.2% of total d.w.), with 83 taxa recorded. Most identified taxa belonged to gastropods (44 taxa) and bivalves (36), representing 40.2% of total molluscs d.w., whilst cephalopods and scaphopods together accounted for only 1.0% d.w. Our results suggest that larger gastropods (e.g. Gibbula magus, Natica stercusmuscarum) belong to main prey of Adriatic loggerheads, whereas smaller species (e.g. Turritella communis, Bittium reticulatum) can be considered as incidentally taken while searching for other prey on deposit bottom. High proportion of sub-fossil shell remains indicates the additional ecological role of loggerheads as bioturbators in marine ecosystems.

loggerhead sea turtle; diet; molluscs; Eastern Adriatic

nije evidentirano

engleski

Molluscs in the diet of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

We analysed diet of 28 loggerhead sea turtles found dead stranded or incidentally captured by fisheries in Croatia and Slovenia in 2001– 2004, with the curved carapace length ranging from 25.0 to 51.3 cm (mean: 35.3 cm, SD: 5.3). Molluscs were isolated from digestive tract contents and preserved in 4% buffered formaldehyde. Molluscan items were later identified to the lowest taxon possible, dried at 95º C for 24h and dry weighted (d.w.). Molluscs (Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda and Scaphopoda) were the highest ranked prey in the total diet of loggerheads (41.2% of total d.w.), with 83 taxa recorded. Most identified taxa belonged to gastropods (44 taxa) and bivalves (36), representing 40.2% of total molluscs d.w., whilst cephalopods and scaphopods together accounted for only 1.0% d.w. Our results suggest that larger gastropods (e.g. Gibbula magus, Natica stercusmuscarum) belong to main prey of Adriatic loggerheads, whereas smaller species (e.g. Turritella communis, Bittium reticulatum) can be considered as incidentally taken while searching for other prey on deposit bottom. High proportion of sub-fossil shell remains indicates the additional ecological role of loggerheads as bioturbators in marine ecosystems.

loggerhead sea turtle; diet; molluscs; Eastern Adriatic

nije evidentirano