Meeting Abstract

P3.171  Sunday, Jan. 6  Facial Pits in a Gelatinivore Sea Turtle WYNEKEN, J*; SALMON, M; GUTHRIE, K; Florida Atlantic University; Florida Atlantic University; Florida Atlantic University jwyneken@fau.edu

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) have many unique morphological characteristics that reflect their specialized behavior and trophic ecology. These sea turtles feed exclusively upon pelagic gelatinous zooplankton. They possess unique mouth and throat morphology for capturing, ingesting and processing gelatinous prey. In this study, we investigated multiple pits in the jaws, located along in the outer surfaces of the anterolateral maxillae and the anterior mandible. The function of these pits is unknown. Behavioral studies of feeding leatherbacks indicate that these turtles locate prey using visual and chemical cues. There is no evidence that the turtles sample sections of jellyfish before initiating feeding. Both neonates and adults tend to slice out the central gonadal and gut sections of jellyfishes, leaving the bell behind. These central parts contain more concentrated nutrients. To determine if specialized receptors are present in the pits, we preserved and sectioned the heads of hatchlings that died while emerging from the nest. We stained the tissues with H&E and Sudan Black B for tryglycerides to identify peripheral nerves and neurons. We found highly branched neurons in the pits scattered along the anterolateral jaws and in rostral cartilaginous foramina. We hypothesize that the pits house specialized neurons that may aid in assessing food quality.