In this study, we report for the first time a hybridization between Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas in South Korea. On 7th May 2012, a sea turtle (Jeju sea turtle 01, JST01) was found in the east coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. The morphological characteristics of JST01 were compared with those of C. caretta and C. mydas that were frequently observed in Korean Seas. Interestingly, JST01 showed similar morphological characters such as body color, appearance of carapace, shape of upper beak, serration on marginal scute, and two claws with those of C. caretta. On the other hand, JST01 showed also similar patterns in several characteristics including the numbers of marginal, inframarginal and costal scute, smooth carapace without keel, no contact between costal scute and nuchal scute with those of C. mydas. From these results, we suggest that JST01 is one of hybrid animals bred between C. caretta and C. mydas, because JST01 has speciesspecific characters from both species. We anticipate that our study would be useful and have significant impact onto study inter-specific hybridization in the groups of sea turtle.

• 구교성(제주대학교 과학교육과) | Kyo-Soung Koo
• 한상현(제주대학교 교육과학연구소) | Sang-Hyun Han
• 오흥식(제주대학교 과학교육과) | Hong-Shik Oh Corresponding author