Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Feeding ecology of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in southern Brazil

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the least studied sea turtle species, despite being the most abundant. Few studies on its diet have been reported worldwide, which suggest an omnivorous diet. The objective of this study was to characterize ontogenetic changes in diet composition and habitat use of the species in southern Brazil using gastrointestinal tract (GIT) contents and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses. GITs (n = 10) and skin (n = 34) samples from specimens found stranded on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul (RS; from 31° 20′ S–51° 05′ W to 33° 45′ S–53° 22′ W) and individuals from incidental captures in the local bottom pair trawl fishery were collected from 2014 to 2019. Eighteen food items were found in the GITs, where the hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis had the highest contribution to the species diet, followed by the gastropod Buccinanops monilifer and the crabs Hepatus pudibundus and Libinia spinosa. Stable isotope mixing models showed the hermit crab as the most assimilated prey to juvenile and adult individuals, followed by a small contribution of salps to juvenile specimens. Prey preferences indicate a predominant use of the neritic environment for adults and a use of both neritic and oceanic environments for juvenile individuals. These results demonstrated that juvenile and adult olive ridley turtles use the coast of RS as a feeding ground; therefore, this area should be considered when proposing conservation measures for the species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

Data are available upon request.

References

  • Abreu-Grobois A, Plotkin P (2008) (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group) Lepidochelys olivacea. The IUCN red list of threatened species 2008: e.T11534A3292503. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T11534A3292503.en. Accessed 24 Jan 2023

  • Amaral WJA, Montú MA, Gloeden IM (1997) Salpidae (Thaliacea) da plataforma continental do extremo sul do Brasil: composição, distribuição e abundância (Verão de 1990). Atlântica 19:51–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayres-Peres L, Sokolowicz CC, Kotzian CB, Rieger PJ, Santos S (2008) Ocupação de conchas de gastrópodes por ermitões (Decapoda, Anomura) no litoral de Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Iheringia Série Zool 98:218–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barco S, Law M, Drummond B, Koopman H, Trapani C, Reinheimer S, Rose S, Swingle W, Williard A (2016) Loggerhead turtles killed by vessel and fishery interaction in Virginia, USA, are healthy prior to death. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 555:221–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barros JA (2010) Alimentação da tartaruga-cabeçuda (Caretta caretta) em habitat oceânico e nerítico no sul do Brasil: composição, aspectos nutricionais e resíduos sólidos antropogênicos. M.Sc. Dissertation, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande–FURG, Rio Grande

  • Behera SK, Sivakumar K, Choudhury BC, John S (2014) Diet preference and prey of Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) along East Coast of India, Odisha. Open J Ocean Coast Sci 1:73–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergamo T, Botta S, Copertino M (2016) Lipid extraction in stable isotope analyses of juvenile sea turtle skin and muscle. Aquat Biol 25:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bjorndal KA (1996) Foraging ecology and nutrition of sea turtles. In: Lutz PL, Musick JA (eds) The biology of sea turtles, vol 1. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 199–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolten AB (1999) Techniques for measuring sea turtles. In: Eckert KL, Bjorndal KA, Abreu-Grobois FA, Donnelly M (eds) Research and management techniques for the conservation of sea turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, Washington, pp 110–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolten AB (2003) Variation in sea turtle life history patterns: neritic vs. oceanic developmental stages. In: Lutz PL, Musick JA, Wyneken J (eds) The biology of sea turtles, vol 2. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 243–258

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SC, Bizzarro JJ, Cailliet GM, Ebert DA (2012) Breaking with tradition: redefining measures for diet description with a case study of the Aleutian skate Bathyraja aleutica (Gilbert 1896). Environ Biol Fishes 95:3–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckup L, Bond-Buckup G (1999) Os crustáceos do Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Editora da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

  • Bugoni L, Krause L, Petry M (2003) Diet of sea turtles in southern Brazil. Chelonian Conserv Biol 4:685–688

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron SJ, Baltazar-Soares M, Stiebens VA, Reischig T, Correia SM, Harrod C, Eizaguirre C (2019) Diversity of feeding strategies in loggerhead sea turtles from the Cape Verde archipelago. Mar Biol 166:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capitoli RR, Bemvenuti CE (2006) Associações de macroinvertebrados bentônicos de fundos inconsolidados da plataforma continental e talude superior no extremo Sul do Brasil. Atlântica 28:47–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso LG, Monteiro DS, Haimovici M (2021) An assessment of discarded catches from the bottom pair trawling fishery in southern Brazil. Mar Fish Sci 34(2):197–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casale P, Abitsi G, Aboro MP, Agamboue PD, Agbode L, Allela NL, Angueko D, Bibang Bi Nguema JN, Boussamba F, Cardiec F, Chartrain E, Ciofi C, Emane YA, Fay JM, Godley BJ, KouereyOliwiwina CK, de Dieu LJ, Leyoko D, MbaAsseko G, Mengue M’adzaba P, Mve Beh JH, Natali C, Nyama-Mouketou C, Nzegoue J, Ogandagas C, Parnell RJ, Rerambyath GA, Gnandji MS, Sounguet G-P, Tiwari M, Verhage B, Vilela R, White L, Witt MJ, Formia A (2017) A first estimate of sea turtle bycatch in the industrial trawling fishery of Gabon. Biodivers Conserv 26:2421–2433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clukey KE, Lepczyk CA, Balazs GH, Work TM, Lynch JM (2017) Investigation of plastic debris ingestion by four species of sea turtles collected as bycatch in pelagic Pacific longline fisheries. Mar Pollut Bull 120:117–125

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coletto JL, Botta S, Fischer LG, Newsome SD, Madureira LS (2021) Isotope-based inferences of skipjack tuna feeding ecology and movement in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Mar Environ Res 165:105246

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Colman LP, Sampaio CLS, Weber MI, de Castilhos JC (2014) Diet of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea, in the Waters of Sergipe, Brazil. Chelonian Conserv Biol 13:266–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conway S (1994) Diets and feeding biology of adult olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles in Fog Bay, Northern Territory. Hons. Thesis, Darwin: Northern Territory University

  • González-Carman VG, Botto F, Gaitán E, Albareda D, Campagna C, Mianzan H (2013) A jellyfish diet for the herbivorous green turtle Chelonia mydas in the temperate SW Atlantic. Mar Biol 161:339–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson AL, Inger R, Parnell AC, Bearhop S (2011) Comparing isotopic niche widths among and within communities: SIBER—Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R. J Anim Ecol 80:595–602

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones TT, Seminoff JA (2013) Feeding biology advances from field-based observation, physiological studies, and molecular techniques. In: Wyneken J, Lohmann KJ, Musick JA (eds) The biology of sea turtles, vol 3. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 211–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Limpus CJ (2008) A biological review of Australian marine turtle species. 4. Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz). Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

  • Lopes RM, Montú MA, Gorri C, Muxagata E, Miyashita LK, Oliveira LP (2006) O zooplâncton marinho na região entre o Cabo de São Tomé (RJ) e o Chuí (RS). O Ambient Ocean da Plataforma Cont e do Talude na Região Sudeste-Sul do Bras 265–358

  • Matich P, Heithaus MR (2015) Individual variation in ontogenetic niche shifts in habitat use and movement patterns of a large estuarine predator (Carcharhinus leucas). Oecologia 178:347–359

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLusky DS, McIntyre AD (1988) Characteristics of the Benthic Fauna. In: Postma H, Zijlstra JJ (eds) Continental shelves of the world (ecosystems of the world), vol 27. Elseiver, Amsterdam, pp 131–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Medeiros L, Monteiro DS, Botta S, Proietti MC, Secchi ER (2019) Origin and foraging ecology of male loggerhead sea turtles from southern Brazil revealed by genetic and stable isotope analysis. Mar Biol 166:76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe K, Agamboué PD, Augowet E, Boussamba F, Cardiec F, Fay JM, Formia A, Kema Kema JR, Kouerey C, Mabert BDK, Maxwell SM, Minton G, MounguenguiMounguengui GA, Moussounda C, Moukoumou N, Manfoumbi JC, Nguema AM, Nzegoue J, Parnell RJ, du Plessis P, Sounguet G-P, Tilley D, Verhage S, Viljoen W, White L, Witt MJ, Godley BJ (2015) Going the extra mile: Ground-based monitoring of olive ridley turtles reveals Gabon hosts the largest rookery in the Atlantic. Biol Conserv 190:14–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro DS (2008) Fatores determinantes da captura incidental de aves e tartarugas marinhas e da interação com orcas/falsas-orcas, na pescaria com espinhel pelágico no sudeste-sul do Brasil. M.S.c Dissertation, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande–FURG, Rio Grande

  • Monteiro DS (2017) Encalhes de tartarugas marinhas e uso de habitat por Caretta caretta no sul do Brasil. Phd Thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande–FURG, Rio Grande

  • Monteiro DS, Estima SC, Secchi ER (2013) Captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas na pescaria de arrasto de parelha no litoral do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. In: Abstracts of VI Jornada y VII Reunión de Conservación e Investigación de Tortugas Marinas en el Atlántico Sur Occidental (ASO). Piriápolis, Uruguay, pp 29–34

  • Monteiro DS, Estima SC, Gandra TBR, Silva AP, Bugoni L, Swimmer Y, Seminoff JA, Secchi ER (2016) Long-term spatial and temporal patterns of sea turtle strandings in southern Brazil. Mar Biol 163:247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montenegro-Silva BC, Gonzalez NGB, Guerrero AM (1986) Estudio del contenido estomacal de la tortuga marina Lepidochelys olivacea, en la costa de Oaxaca, México. An Inst Cienc Mar Limnol Univ Nac Auton Mex 13:121–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Muelbert JH, Acha M, Mianzan H, Guerrero R, Reta R, Braga ES, Garcia VMT, Berasategui A, Gomez-Erache M, Ramírez F (2008) Biological, physical and chemical properties at the Subtropical Shelf Front Zone in the SW Atlantic Continental Shelf. Cont Shelf Res 28:1662–1673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newsome SD, Martinez del Rio C, Bearhop S, Phillips DL (2007) A niche for isotopic ecology. Front Ecol Environ 5(8):429–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newsome SD, Tinker MT, Monson DH, Oftedal OT, Ralls K, Staedler MM, Fogel ML, Estes JA (2009) Using stable isotopes to investigate individual diet specialization in California sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). Ecology 90:961–974

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parnell AC, Phillips DL, Bearhop S, Semmens BX, Ward EJ, Moore JW, Jackson AL, Grey J, Kelly DJ, Inger R (2013) Bayesian stable isotope mixing models. Environmetrics 24:387–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins MJ, McDonald RA, van Veen FJF, Kelly SD, Rees G, Bearhop S (2013) Important impacts of tissue selection and lipid extraction on ecological parameters derived from stable isotope ratios. Methods Ecol Evol 4(10):944–953

    Google Scholar 

  • Petitet R, Bugoni L (2017) High habitat use plasticity by female olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) revealed by stable isotope analysis in multiple tissues. Mar Biol 164:134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petitet R, Avens L, Castilhos J, Kinas P, Bugoni L (2015) Age and growth of olive ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys olivacea in the main Brazilian nesting ground. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 541:205–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petitet R, Castilhos JC, Bugoni L (2023) Individual specialization and temporal consistency in resource use by adult olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea). Mar Biol 170:12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips DL, Inger R, Bearhop S, Jackson AL, Moore JW, Parnell AC, Ward EJ (2014) Best practices for use of stable isotope mixing models in food-web studies. Can J Zool 92(10):823–835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinedo MC, Capitoli RR, Barreto AS, Andrade A (1998) Occurrence and feeding of sea turtles in southern Brazil. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS-SEFSC-412

  • Piola AR, Möller OO, Guerrero RA, Campos EJD (2008) Variability of the subtropical shelf front off eastern South America: winter 2003 and summer 2004. Cont Shelf Res 28:1639–1648

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plotkin PT (2007) Introduction. In: Plotkin PT (ed) Biology and conservation of Ridley Sea Turtles. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, pp 3–5

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Post DM (2002) Using stable isotopes to estimate trophic position: models, methods, and assumptions. Ecology 83:703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post DM, Layman CA, Arrington DA, Takimoto G, Quattrochi J, Montaña CG (2007) Getting to the fat of the matter: models, methods and assumptions for dealing with lipids in stable isotope analyses. Oecologia 152:179–189

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2019) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Reich KJ, Bjorndal KA, Martínez del Rio C (2008) Effects of growth and tissue type on the kinetics of 13C and 15N incorporation in a rapidly growing ectotherm. Oecologia 155:651–663

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reichart HA (1993) Synopsis of biological data on the olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz 1829) in the western Atlantic. NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-SEFSC, 336

  • Rios EC (1994) Seashells of Brazil. Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Editora da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande

  • Ruiz-Cooley RI, Garcia KY, Hetherington ED (2011) Effects of lipid removal and preservatives on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of squid tissues: implications for ecological studies. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 407(1):101–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sales G, Giffoni BB, Barata PCR (2008) Incidental catch of sea turtles by the Brazilian pelagic longline fishery. J Mar Biol Assoc United Kingdom 88:853–864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santos EA, Silva AC, Sforza R, Oliveira FL, Weber MI, Castilhos JC, DiMatteo A (2019) Olive ridley inter-nesting and post-nesting movements along the Brazilian coast and Atlantic Ocean. Endanger Species Res 40:149–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seney EE (2007) Musick JA (2007) Historical diet analysis of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in Virginia. Copeia 2:478–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva ACCD, de Castilhos JC, Lopez GG, Barata PCR (2007) Nesting biology and conservation of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Brazil, 1991/1992 to 2002/2003. J Mar Biol Assoc United Kingdom 87:1047–1056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva A, dos Santos E, de Castilhos J, Fl O, Weber M, Batista J, Serafini T (2011) Satellite-tracking reveals multiple foraging strategies and threats for olive ridley turtles in Brazil. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 443:237–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva AP, Monteiro DS, Estima SC (2019) Ocorrências de tartaruga-oliva Lepidochelys olivacea no litoral sul do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Anais da VIII Jornada de Pesquisa e Conservação de Tartarugas Marinhas do Atlântico Sul. Rio de Janeiro, RJ

  • Smith JA, Mazumder D, Suthers IM, Taylor MD (2013) To fit or not to fit: evaluating stable isotope mixing models using simulated mixing polygons. Methods Ecol Evol 4:612–618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tagliolatto AB, Giffoni B, Guimarães S, Godfrey MH, Monteiro-Neto C (2020) Incidental capture and mortality of sea turtles in the industrial double-rig-bottom trawl fishery in south-eastern Brazil. Aquat Conserv Mar Freshw Ecosyst 30:351–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troina GC, Dehairs F, Botta S, Di TJC, Elskens M, Secchi ER (2020) Zooplankton-based δ13C and δ15N isoscapes from the outer continental shelf and slope in the subtropical western South Atlantic. Deep Sea Res Part I Oceanogr Res Pap 159:103235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vander Zanden HB, Bjorndal KA, Mustin W, Ponciano JM, Bolten AB (2012) Inherent variation in stable isotope values and discrimination factors in two life stages of green turtles. Physiol Biochem Zool 85:431–441

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace BP, Kot CY, DiMatteo AD, Lee T, Crowder LB, Lewison RL (2013) Impacts of fisheries bycatch on marine turtle populations worldwide: toward conservation and research priorities. Ecosphere 4(3):1–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wildermann N, Gredzens C, Avens L, Barrios-Garrido H, Bell I, Blumenthal J, Bolten A, Braun McNeill J, Casale P, Di Domenico M, Domit C, Epperly S, Godfrey M, Godley B, González-Carman V, Hamann M, Hart K, Ishihara T, Mansfield K, Metz T, Miller J, Pilcher N, Read M, Sasso C, Seminoff J, Seney E, Willard A, Tomás J, Vélez-Rubio G, Ware M, Williams J, Wyneken J, Fuentes M (2018) Informing research priorities for immature sea turtles through expert elicitation. Endanger Species Res 37:55–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson RM, Chanton JP, Balmer BC, Nowacek DP (2014) An evaluation of lipid extraction techniques for interpretation of carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skin tissue. Mar Mammal Sci 30:85–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Núcleo de Educação e Monitoramento Ambiental (NEMA) for support in TGI and skin samplings. Beach and fisheries monitoring programs conducted by Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande or by NEMA provided all the samples of this study. We also thank Dr. Paulo J. Rieger and Dr. Leonir A. Colling for identification of invertebrates and MSc. Márcio A. Freire for identification of fishes and Amanda F. Garcia for map elaboration. We also thank Portos RS, Yaqu Pacha and Petrobras for their financial support. Currently, SB receives a grant from the National Council for Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq-PQ 315365/2020-0).

Funding

This study was funded by Petrobras, Portos RS and Yaqu Pacha.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Ademir S. Maruyama, Silvina Botta & Danielle S. Monteiro

  2. Laboratório de Estudos para a Pesca Responsável, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Ademir S. Maruyama & Danielle S. Monteiro

  3. Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande-FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Ademir S. Maruyama, Silvina Botta & Danielle S. Monteiro

  4. Núcleo de Educação e Monitoramento Ambiental-NEMA, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

    Andrine Paiva da Silva & Danielle S. Monteiro

  5. Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes Marinhos, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo-UFES, CEUNES, São Mateus, ES, Brazil

    Rodrigo F. Bastos

Authors
  1. Ademir S. Maruyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvina Botta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rodrigo F. Bastos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andrine Paiva da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Danielle S. Monteiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

AM and DM prepared skin samples; AM and RB performed stable isotope analysis; AM and AS performed GIT content analysis; AM realized data analysis under supervision of DM and SB. AM wrote the first version with support of DM and SB; all the authors reviewed and gave the approval of the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ademir S. Maruyama.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This study does not involve any human participants. No live animals were used for experiment or sampling. Sampling was performed under SISBIO licenses Nº 15962-5 to 15962-7.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: L. Avens.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 17 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Maruyama, A.S., Botta, S., Bastos, R.F. et al. Feeding ecology of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in southern Brazil. Mar Biol 170, 131 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04275-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04275-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation