Quantitative requirement of the hatchling green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, for valine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine.

Hatchling green sea turtles were fed purified diets containing 36% crude protein (N X 6.25) to determine the quantitative requirements for valine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine. Expressed as percentage of total dry diet, the hatchling green sea turtle requires 1.3% valine, 1.6% leucine, 1.0% isoleucine and 1.0% phenylalanine (in the presence of 0.5% tyrosine). Within the range of isoleucine-leucine levels investigated, there was no apparent interrelationship between the quantitative requirements of these two amino acids. Growth rate was decreased at a high level of phenylalanine, 3.0% of the dry diet.