Population level "flipperedness" in the eastern Pacific leatherback turtle.
Limb preference is a behavioral indicator of lateralized brain function that was recently elucidated experimentally in lower vertebrates. We assessed natural spontaneous limb use of nesting eastern Pacific leatherback turtles by recording which hindlimb flipper was extended overtop the cloaca to cover the egg chamber during oviposition. We found a population level right bias in 1889 observations of 361 individuals. This is the first report of a limb preference in Testudinata.
Sieg
Annette E
AE
Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. aes48@drexel.edu
Zandonà
Eugenia
E
Izzo
Victor M
VM
Paladino
Frank V
FV
Spotila
James R
JR
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000502:physiology*; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D010058:Oviposition / Q000502:physiology; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*