First report of courtship and mating behavior by loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Gulf of Ulloa, Baja California Sur, México

Ana Sofía Merino-Zavala, Eduardo Reséndiz, Yoalli Hernández-Gil, María Mónica Lara-Uc

Submited: 2017-09-15 20:14:33 | Published: 2018-03-17 18:39:15

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol46-issue1-fulltext-25

Abstract


Courtship and mating behavior are important life cycle aspects of marine turtles not easily observed by researchers. A pair of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) was documented circling, attempting and successfully mounting in the Gulf of Ulloa, Mexico. This type of activity is part of an already described courtship and mating behavior for other sea turtle species; however, this is the first report of open-ocean courtship and mating behavior by loggerheads in the Northern Mexican Pacific Ocean.

Merino-Zavala A, Reséndiz E, Hernández-Gil Y, Lara-Uc M. First report of courtship and mating behavior by loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Gulf of Ulloa, Baja California Sur, México. Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Res.. 2018;46(1): 237-239. Available from: doi:10.3856/vol46-issue1-fulltext-25 [Accessed 22 Dec. 2024].
Merino-Zavala, A., Reséndiz, E., Hernández-Gil, Y., & Lara-Uc, M. (2018). First report of courtship and mating behavior by loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Gulf of Ulloa, Baja California Sur, México. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research, 46(1), 237-239. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3856/vol46-issue1-fulltext-25