Edited by Andrzej Witkowski: Volume 20: Kaleli, Aydin, Marta Krzywda, Ana Car, Isabela Zglobicka, Krysztof Kurzydlowski and Tomasz Plocinski: Diatoms Associated with Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta Linnaeus, 1758) Carapace from the Mediterranean Sea Coast of Türkiye. 2023. 37 plates (LM & SEM). 201 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.(ISBN 978-3-946583-38-7)

Epibiont diatoms from loggerhead sea turtle carapace that come to lay eggs in Iztuzu Beach, Mugla, were observed in this study. Diatom samples were collected between 2011 and 2016 during the nesting season, and high biodiversity was registered. A total of 450 taxa from 84 genera were identified. Here we discuss identified species including several unidentified taxa in terms of taxonomy and their biogeographic distribution with light and scanning electron micrographs.

As a result, most of the taxa observed in this study have not been recorded from Turkish coasts before, and the species composition biogeographically varied from cosmopolitan to tropical and subtropical regions. Our findings showed that loggerhead sea turtles are good hosts and may play an
essential role in diatoms' dispersal in marine waters.