Estimativa de idade de Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829), no litoral sul de Pernambuco

Abstract

The study of age and growth is fundamental for understanding population dynamics and assisting in the creation of conservation projects suitable for different people. The estimation of the age of sea turtles is possible through the method of skeletochronology, which consists of observing cyclic growth marks deposited periodically, present in calcified structures, being observed with more precision in the humerus. Based on this information, the present study aimed to estimate the age of individuals of the species Lepidochelys olivacea, found stranded dead on the coast of the municipality of Ipojuca, using a skeletochronology as a base tool for the development of the research. The study consisted of using one of the humerus of individuals of L. olivacea found dead along the coastline through monitoring carried out by the team from the NGO Ecoassociados. Median longitudinal sections made in each humerus close to the Deltopectoral ridge, after performing the reduction in thickness from manual wear, it was possible to observe and record the growth marks. As all individuals are adults and during the growth of sea turtles bone resorption occurs and the loss of the oldest marks, it was necessary to calculate the lost lines. During the research, it was possible to verify the importance of skeletochronology as a tool to estimate the age of sea turtles, observing the proportionality between somatic growth and bone growth for the studied population.