Marine Reptiles - Turtle Biology and Ecology Vocabulary Flashcards

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions regarding the biology, evolution, and ecology of marine reptiles and sea turtles based on lecture notes.

Poikilotherms

Ectothermic organisms, such as marine reptiles, whose internal body temperature varies with the environment.

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

The scientific name for the Marine Iguana, a lizard endemic to the Galapagos Islands that is the only lizard to feed at sea.

Salt glands

Specialized organs used for osmoregulation; in Marine Iguanas, they are located on the nose to excrete excess salt.

Hindgut fermenters

Animals, like Marine Iguanas, that utilize endosymbiotic bacteria to assist in the breakdown of algae during digestion.

Leks

Breeding areas guarded by territorial male Marine Iguanas during the mating season.

Elapidae

The family of snakes to which all $69$ species of sea snakes belong.

Crocodylus porosus

The scientific name for the Saltwater Crocodile, the largest reptile, which can be found up to $1000\,km$ from land.

Archelon ischyros

The world's largest extinct sea turtle which lived during the Cretaceous Period, approximately $70$ million years ago.

Cheloniidae

The family of marine turtles characterized by having hard shells.

Dermochelyidae

The family of marine turtles containing only the Leatherback turtle ($Dermochelys\,coriacea$), which lacks a hard shell.

Imbricated

A term describing the overlapping nature of the scutes on the shell of a Hawksbill turtle ($Eretmochelys\,imbricata$).

Prefrontal scales

Scales on the head of a sea turtle used for identification; Green turtles have $1$ pair, while others like Loggerheads have more than $1$ pair.

Pelagic Nursery Stage

The phase of a sea turtle's life history lasting $5-20$ years spent in the open ocean after hatching.

Incubation thermal tolerance

The specific temperature range ($25-27^{\circ}C$ to $33-35^{\circ}C$) within which turtle embryos can successfully develop.

Pivotal temperature

The temperature range ($28-30^{\circ}C$) at which Temperature Sex Determination (TSD) produces a mixed ratio of male and female hatchlings.

Thermal sensitive period

The middle third of the incubation duration when the sex of the turtle embryo is determined by the sand temperature.

Social facilitation

Group cooperation among hatchlings that aids in the emergence from the nest and transit to the ocean.

Rhizostoma octopus

A species of jellyfish commonly preyed upon by Leatherback turtles in hotspots like Carmarthen Bay.