title: First satellite tracks of neonate sea turtles redefine the 'lost years' oceanic niche.
abstract: Few at-sea behavioural data exist for oceanic-stage neonate sea turtles, a life-stage commonly referred to as the sea turtle 'lost years'. Historically, the long-term tracking of small, fast-growing organisms in the open ocean was logistically or technologically impossible. Here, we provide the first long-term satellite tracks of neonate sea turtles. Loggerheads (Caretta caretta) were remotely tracked in the Atlantic Ocean using small solar-powered satellite transmitters. We show that oceanic-stage turtles (i) rarely travel in Continental Shelf waters, (ii) frequently depart the currents associated with the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, (iii) travel quickly when in Gyre currents, and (iv) select sea surface habitats that are likely to provide a thermal benefit or refuge to young sea turtles, supporting growth, foraging and survival. Our satellite tracks help define Atlantic loggerhead nursery grounds and early loggerhead habitat use, allowing us to re-examine sea turtle 'lost years' paradigms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, , Orlando, FL 32816, USA, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, , 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149, USA, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, , Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA, Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin Madison, , Madison, WI 53706, USA, Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, , Miami, FL 33149, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wyneken
authors.forename: Warren P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Jiangang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D017753:Ecosystem; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology; D013696:Temperature; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*; D014872:Water Movements
keywords: Caretta caretta; ocean migration; oceanic stage sea turtles; satellite telemetry; sea turtle ‘lost years’; thermal niche