Sea Turtle Epibiosis: Global Patterns and Knowledge Gaps

Competition for space drives many marine propagules to colonize the external surfaces of other organisms, a phenomenon known as epibiosis. Epibiosis appears be universal among sea turtles and an extensive body scientific literature exists describing turtle-epibiont interactions. When viewed in isolation, however, these epibiont “species lists” provide limited insights into factors driving patterns taxonomic diversity on global scale. We conducted exhaustive review collate information interactions database. As studies involving meio- micro-epibionts, well plants, are limited, we exclusively focused animal, macro-epibionts (>1 mm). identified 304 that included combined total 1,717 374 unique taxa from 23 Higher Taxon categories (full Phylum or select phyla differentiated by Subphylum/Class/Subclass). found loggerhead hosted highest richness (262 taxa) diversity, including representative 21 categories, followed hawksbill, green, olive ridley, leatherback, Kemp’s flatback turtles. In addition, all turtle species except leatherbacks was projected increase with additional studies. not only varies between but also well-studied populations Lastly, assessed biases current knowledge gaps certain (e.g., ridleys flatbacks), life stages juveniles), habitats oceanic habitats), geographic regions central Pacific, east Atlantic, Indian oceans). Our hope is this database will serve foundational platform future investigating ecological function, evolutionary origins