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PIT tag

Definition

Passive integrated transponder: a small RFID chip implanted under the skin of tagged sea turtles. Can be scanned from a carcass even after considerable decomposition, potentially linking a seized individual to an existing tagging database record.

Related terms

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The sea turtle species that produces tortoiseshell. Distinguishable by its narrow pointed beak, overlapping (imbricate) scutes, and four pairs of lateral scutes....
Imbricate vs. juxtaposed scutes
Hawksbill scutes overlap like roof tiles (imbricate); green and most other sea turtle scutes meet edge-to-edge without overlapping (juxtaposed). This difference is...
Mitochondrial haplotype
A specific variant of mitochondrial DNA sequence. Because mitochondria are inherited maternally, haplotypes track female lineages and cluster by nesting rookery in...
Natal homing
The behavior by which female sea turtles return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. This produces strong...
Scute
An individual plate of keratinous shell that overlaps with its neighbors on the outer carapace of a sea turtle. Count, arrangement, and...

Explained in

  • Sea Turtle ForensicsPassive integrated transponder: a small RFID chip implanted under the skin of tagged sea turtles. Can be scanned from a carcass even after considerable decompo...

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