Eckert Scott A
Hubbs Sea World Research Institute, 2595 Ingraham Street, San Diego, CA 92109, USA.
J Exp Biol. 2002 Dec;205(Pt 23):3689-97. doi: 10.1242/jeb.205.23.3689.
Swim speed, dive behavior and movements were recorded for seven female leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli 1761) during a single internesting interval near St Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Modal speeds ranged from 0.56 to 0.84 m s(-1), maximum speed range 1.9-2.8 m s(-1). Turtles swam continuously throughout the day and night. There were two swim-speed patterns; the most common was slightly U-shaped, with high speeds at the initiation and conclusion of the dive, and the less common was continuous high-speed swimming. The U-shaped speed patterns were coincident with vertical diving by the turtles, while the second pattern occurred most frequently during the daytime, with the turtle swimming within 2 m of the surface. This latter swim behavior appeared to be designed to maximize efficiency for long-distance travel. The hypothesis that leatherbacks rest or bask at midday during their internesting interval is refuted by this study.
在美国维尔京群岛圣克罗伊岛附近的一个产卵间期内，对7只雌性棱皮龟（Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli 1761）的游泳速度、潜水行为和动作进行了记录。模式速度范围为0.56至0.84米/秒，最大速度范围为1.9至2.8米/秒。海龟日夜不停地游泳。有两种游泳速度模式；最常见的是略呈U形，在潜水开始和结束时速度较高，不太常见的是持续高速游泳。U形速度模式与海龟的垂直潜水同时出现，而第二种模式最常发生在白天，海龟在水面2米范围内游泳。后一种游泳行为似乎是为了最大限度地提高长途旅行的效率。这项研究驳斥了棱皮龟在产卵间期中午休息或晒太阳的假设。
