A seasonal and latitudinal assessment of early growth rates in northern and southeastern loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta L.) (Caretta caretta)

To improve our understanding of loggerhead life history, particularly factors affecting the duration of each age class and survivorship, detailed growth data must be interpreted. The purpose of this study was to investigate how temporal and spatial nest origin influence initial hatchling size and growth potential. Seasonal environmental fluctuations and maternal resource allocation could result in differential hatchling size and development. Hatchlings from ten sites from North Carolina to Florida representing 2 subpopulations were sampled during 3 phases of the season. The largest (WT, SCL and SCW) hatchlings came from the northernmost site with initial size decreasing as latitude decreased. Turtles deposited during the earliest phase of the nesting season grew faster than those from later phases of the season. Differences in initial size and growth potential could influence early stage survivorship as a function of size-based predation, and may imply the need for separate consideration when constructing population models.