• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.201-208
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• 2014

To date, no study has reported detailed morphological characteristics of Korean sea turtles. Due to the lack of such basic information on Korean sea turtles, further related studies have been difficult in South Korea. In this report, we determined the species and the sex of the one sea turtle caught from the Yellow Sea of Korea (Taean-gun, Chungcheongnamdo) on July 17, 2013, and described its detailed morphological characteristics. The sea turtle was identified as a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) by the presence of an interprefrontal scale on the head. The turtle had three times longer length between the edge of anal scute to the anus than that between the anus to tip of the tail, and the size of a pair of claws on the flippers were distinctively different, suggesting that the turtle was a male. Finally, the assumption that the sea turtle might be sexually mature is based on its body weight (59.95 kg), the maximum straight length of the carapace (72.5 cm), and the worn serrated parts at the edge of supracaudal scutes. The loggerhead sea turtle described in this study is the first record from the Yellow Sea of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.657-663
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• 2009

This paper reports the strandings of sea turtles on Korean shores monitored for the first time in 2008. A total of 19 sea turtles, consisting of 12 greens and 7 loggerheads, were recorded as stranded from the east coast to the south including Jeju Island. Reported strandings reached a peak in July and dominant area was Jeju Island. The curved carapace length of loggerhead sea turtles ranged 65-84.2cm and that of green sea turtles ranged 39.2-90cm, indicating most of them were immature to sub-adult. Out of 19 turtles, 11 were found dead with unknown reasons. Possible causes of death may include drawning by fishing gear, swallowing of marine debris, boat collision, and diseases. An immature green sea turtle tagged with a satellite transmitter spent winter near Jeju Island where it was released, suggesting that the Island provide immature greens a feeding ground. Considering thousands of sea turtles crawl on Japanese shores for nesting every year, the number of sea turtles reported in Korean waters was relatively small. Therefore, it is suggested that an appropriate monitoring system be necessary to protect and conserve endangered sea turtle species in Korean waters.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.203-217
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• 2021

Background: Sea turtles, which are globally endangered species, have been stranded and found as bycatch on the Korean shore recently. More studies on sea turtles in Korea are necessary to aid their conservation. To investigate the spatio-temporal occurrence patterns of sea turtles on the Korean shore, we recorded sampling locations and dates, identified species and sexes and measured sizes (maximum curved carapace length; CCL) of collected sea turtles from the year 2014 to 2020. For an analysis of diets through stomach contents, we identified the morphology of the remaining food and extracted DNA, followed by amplification, cloning, and sequencing. Results: A total of 62 stranded or bycaught sea turtle samples were collected from the Korean shores during the study period. There were 36 loggerhead turtles, which were the dominant species, followed by 19 green turtles, three hawksbill turtles, two olive ridley turtles, and two leatherback turtles. The highest numbers were collected in the year 2017 and during summer among the seasons. In terms of locations, most sea turtles were collected from the East Sea, especially from Pohang. Comparing the sizes of collected sea turtles according to species, the average CCL of loggerhead turtles was 79.8 cm, of green turtles was 73.5 cm, and of the relatively large leatherback turtle species was 126.2 cm. In most species, the proportion of females was higher than that of males and juveniles, and was more than 70% across all the species. Food remains were morphologically identified from 19 stomachs, mainly at class level. Seaweeds were abundant in stomachs of green turtles, and Bivalvia was the most detected food item in loggerhead turtles. Based on DNA analysis, food items from a total of 26 stomachs were identified to the species or genus level. The gulfweed, Sargassum thunbergii, and the kelp species, Saccharina japonica, were frequently detected from the stomachs of green turtles and the jellyfish, Cyanea nozakii, the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, and kelps had high frequencies of occurrences in loggerhead turtles. Conclusions: Our findings support those of previous studies suggesting that sea turtles are steadily appearing in the Korean sea. In addition, we verified that fish and seaweed, which inhabit the Korean sea, are frequently detected in the stomach of sea turtles. Accordingly, there is a possibility that sea turtles use the Korean sea as feeding grounds and habitats. These results can serve as basic data for the conservation of globally endangered sea turtles.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.662-669
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• 2012

Bycatch and stranding of sea turtles from Jeju coastal water of Korea were monitered from 2008 to 2009. A total of 41 sea turtles, consisting of 12 greens (Chelonia mydas), 3 loggerheads (Caretta caretta), 1 hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and 25 unidentified species, were recorded and observed in those area. Reported stranding and bycatch reached to a peak in August. The largest number of bycatch occurred in the coastal waters around Aewol-eup located in northwest area of Jeju Island. Most of the bycatch were taken by set nets and gill nets, which prevailed over the fishing grounds in the coastal waters of the Jeju Island. It is suggested that an appropriate monitoring system be necessary to conserve endangered sea turtle species in Jeju of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.377-381
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• 2014

In this study, we report for the first time a hybridization between Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas in South Korea. On 7th May 2012, a sea turtle (Jeju sea turtle 01, JST01) was found in the east coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. The morphological characteristics of JST01 were compared with those of C. caretta and C. mydas that were frequently observed in Korean Seas. Interestingly, JST01 showed similar morphological characters such as body color, appearance of carapace, shape of upper beak, serration on marginal scute, and two claws with those of C. caretta. On the other hand, JST01 showed also similar patterns in several characteristics including the numbers of marginal, inframarginal and costal scute, smooth carapace without keel, no contact between costal scute and nuchal scute with those of C. mydas. From these results, we suggest that JST01 is one of hybrid animals bred between C. caretta and C. mydas, because JST01 has species-specific characters from both species. We anticipate that our study would be useful and have significant impact onto study inter-specific hybridization in the groups of sea turtle.