Abstract
In this study, by converting the colors of the first coastal scutes (C1) in the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, into numerical values by the shade (256 phases), it became possible to fully analyze the brightness of the carapace. Two thousand seven hundred fifty-six C1s of hawksbill turtles that had been captured in the Cuban sea from 1993 through 1994 were used. The relationship between the brightness and the width of the first costal (C1W) was examined. The results showed no correlation between brightness and C1W. However, C1 with barnacles tends to have greater C1W (27.1±2.8cm), while no barnacles were found on C1 with a width of 20.3cm or less. C1 with barnacles, compared to C1 without, was low in brightness (somewhat dark) in terms of statistical significance.
