Multiple paternity in loggerhead turtle clutches

Microsatellite DNA was used to determine paternity in loggerhead turtle clu tches. Hatchlings from three clutches were genotyped at two loci, as were t heir mothers and a sample of adults. A maximum-likelihood analysis determin ed the most likely number of fathers represented in each clutch using the g enotypes and population allele frequencies. The analysis concluded that onl y one of the three clutches was shed by multiple males, with two fathers be ing more likely than three.