CLUTCH SIZE FOR MEDITERRANEAN LOGGERHEAD TURTLES (CARETTA-CARETTA)

We investigated the number of eggs laid and the total clutch volume for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta L.) nesting on the Greek island of Cephalonia (38 09'N,20 33'E) during 1990. Both the number of eggs laid and clutch volume were positively related to female body size, and the mean explained variation for these relationships (36.6% and 37.7%, respectively) were not significantly different. Clutch volume decreased as the season progressed because individuals laid successively smaller clutches. The inter-nesting interval (range 15-19 days) did not significantly influence the number of eggs laid or clutch volume. For individuals seen laying more than once, female size in combination with the number of a clutch in relation to all the clutches observed for that individual, together explained 65.5% of the variation in clutch volume.