Anomalies in green turtle (chelonia mydas) hatchlings

This study was conducted on Sugözü Beaches (Adana, Turkey), an important nesting area for Chelonia mydas (Green Turtle). Morphological measurements (length and weight) of normal and malformed Chelonia mydas hatchlings were evaluated, and statistical analyses were performed. A total of 861 hatchlings (396 normal, 465 with anomalies) were examined, and each individual's straight carapace length (SCL), straight carapace width (SCW), and body weight were recorded. In order to assess the relationships between morphological measurements, anomaly occurrence, and nest parameters, correlation analyses were carried out. Pearson correlation test was applied to determine whether there were linear relationships among the variables. A total of 28 nests were examined, including 10 from Sugözü Beach and 18 from Akkum Beach. Anomalies were observed in 54.01% of the hatchlings. The percentages of carapace scute anomalies were as follows: 21.38% in the nuchal scute, 12.67% in vertebral scutes, 1.04% in both left and right marginal scutes, 6.62% in the left costal scutes, and 5.81% in the right costal scutes. The results showed that the mean body weight of anomalous hatchlings (19.13 g) was lower than that of normal hatchlings (19.56 g). The mean straight carapace length (SCL) and width (SCW) of anomalous individuals were calculated as 44.81 mm and 33.35 mm, respectively, whereas those of normal hatchlings were 45.20 mm and 33.73 mm. These findings indicate that anomalous individuals had smaller body sizes and lower weights, and this difference was statistically significant (P< 0.0005). It is considered that the observed anomalies may disadvantage individuals in terms of growth, development, and survival at sea. The findings of this study provide important insights into understanding developmental anomalies in sea turtles and may contribute to the development of more effective conservation strategies.