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Marine Turtle Newsletter 13:9-10, © 1979

Marine Turtle Newsletter-Online

Experimental Carapace Tag

Sally R. Hopkins
South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources, P.O. Box 12559 Charleston, S.C. 29412, USA, (Telephone: 803-795-6350)

This nesting season, adult female loggerhead turtles near Georgetown, South Carolina, USA, were outfitted with an experimental carapace tag. The purpose of the study is to assess the durability of this tag versus the traditional flipper tag. As of this writing, 48 turtles have been marked with both a monel flipper tag and a stainless steel disc carapace tag. The carapace tag is attached by drilling a 1/4 inch diameter hole through one of the posterior marginals. The tag consists of 2 fender washers, one on the dorsal side and one on the ventral side of the scute. The washers are held in place by a 1 1/2 inch long machine screw (round heads) with a looking nut. All parts are matched 18/8 stainless steel. The washers are 1 7/16 inches in diameter and are stamped with a return address and the tag number.

If any turtles are found with one of these carapace tags, please note the following information:

  1. Presence or absence of a flipper tag.
  2. Number from both tags.
  3. Conditions of tags and drill hole.
  4. Location and circumstances of the animal when found.
  5. PLEASE LEAVE TAGS IN PLACE ON LIVE SPECIMENS.
  6. If the animal is dead, please return both tags, if available, to the address above.