This report may be cited as follows: The U.S. is a party of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC This link is an external site. For more information, please visit our threats to marine turtles page. In the Pacific, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) notes that most leatherback nesting populations have declined more than 80%. Dermochelys coriacea is the only species in genus Dermochelys. Leatherbacks are the largest of all sea turtles. geschrieben von September 27, 2020. Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea. Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea. Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea Common Name: Leatherback sea turtle Species synopsis: The leatherback turtle is unique among sea turtles in that it has no hard, bony shell (NMFS and USFWS 1992). Leatherbacks are commonly known as pelagic animals, but also forage in coastal waters. The leatherback is the largest turtle in the world. Genus recognized by EOL Dynamic Hierarchy 1.1 and EOL Dynamic Hierarchy 1.1. It is significantly larger than all other marine turtles. Range: Worldwide in all oceans, prefer deeper oceans. Dermochelys coriacea. Leatherbacks look very different from other sea turtles. Some Caribbean nesting populations appear to be increasing, but these populations are very small when compared to those that nested in the Pacific less than 10 years ago. Incidental capture primarily occurs in gillnets, but also in trawls, traps and pots, longlines, and dredges. Underwater giant on the brink. Dermochelys. Found world wide with the largest north and south range of all the sea turtle species. Dermochelys coriacea is the scientific name for the leatherback sea turtle. Family Cheloniidae includes all sea turtles with scutes (horny plates) covering their shells. Long-term monitoring studies of Leatherback nesting populations have … Scientists recognize seven living species of sea turtles, … Each sea turtle has both a scientific name and a … The leatherback is the champion of sea turtles: … Leatherback turtle returns to the… Lays an average of 80 fertilized eggs, the size of billiard balls, and 30 smaller, unfertilized eggs, in each nest. This creature measures nearly 2 meters (about 7 feet) long, and the front flippers of this ocean creature can grow up to 3 meters (9 feet). Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which means that international trade of this species is prohibited. 2010) for all marine turtle species, including Leatherbacks, to provide a biologically …. Leatherback turtles don't have a hard, bony shell like other sea turtles, instead their backs are covered by the thick, leathery layer of skin that gives them their name. Family Dermochelyidae are scute-less turtles with only 1 modern species; the leatherback turtle. Fun Fact: Only sea turtle without a hard shell. Female leatherbacks lay clutches of approximately 100 eggs on sandy, tropical beaches. in Canada . Population Estimate*: Between 34,000 and 36,000 nesting females. The Pacific Ocean leatherback population is generally smaller in size than that in the Atlantic Ocean. The Leatherback Sea Turtle carapace (shell) is composed of a … The scientific name identifies the genus and species, and the common name typically describes some characteristic of the turtle’s body. Atlantic population . Range: Worldwide in all oceans, prefer deeper oceans. Atlantic population . Status: Critically Endangered. Atlantic Canada supports one of the largest seasonal foraging populations of leatherbacks in the Atlantic. © 1996 - 2020 Sea Turtle Conservancy, all rights reserved. Leatherback turtles don't have a hard, bony shell like other sea turtles, instead their backs are covered by the thick, leathery layer of skin that gives them their name. In the United States, nesting occurs from about March to July. Unlike other sea turtles, the leatherback does not have a hard, bony shell. Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles. Leatherbacks are protected under Annex II of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW This link is an external site.) The shell of a leatherback is composed of a thin layer, tough and rubbery skin. They are also accomplished divers with the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feetdeeper than most marine mammals. Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea. Population. Leatherback Sea Turtle . Leatherbacks lack the crushing chewing plates characteristic of sea turtles that feed on hard-bodied prey (Pritchard 1971). How people can help Report your leatherback turtle sightings to your local Wildlife Trust. A leatherback sea turtle is covered with leathery skin. Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea. The carapace, or upper shell, can grow to more than 2 m in length, and the turtle can weigh more than 900 kg. Of all the extant sea turtle … The Leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea is listed as an endangered species. Meaning of the Scientific Name: Dermochelys - Greek - derma - skin, and chelys - turtle - refers to soft skin covering the shell The white spherical eggs are approximately 2 inches in diameter. Status: U.S. – Listed as Endangered (in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future) in 1970 under the U.S. Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea Size: 4-8 ft in length Weight: 500-2000 lbs Lifespan: estimated 30-50 years Status: Endangered Population: 34,000 to 36,000 nesting females. Status: Endangered Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. How did the species become listed? Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973. International – Listed as Vulnerable in 2013 (facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) The green sea turtle is another hefty turtle, weighing up to 350 pounds with a carapace measuring up to 3 feet long. Life History The leatherback is one of the largest living reptiles, surpassed in size only by some species of crocodiles. Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea. More Sea Turtle Facts! 2012 . You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world, and regularly occurs off the coast of North Carolina. 2. The U.S. Caribbean, primarily Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and southeast Florida support minor nesting colonies, but represent the most significant nesting activity within the United States. The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest sea turtle. Nesting female leatherbacks tagged in French Guiana have been found along the east coast of North America as far north as Newfoundland. In other areas of the leatherback's range, observed declines in nesting populations are not as severe, and some population trends are increasing or stable. leatherback sea turtle scientific name. Instead, as it’s name suggests, this ocean giant has a … (900 kg). The name Kemp is used because of the man, Richard M. Kemp, who first described these turtles. Female leatherbacks nest an average of 5 to 7 times within a nesting season, with an observed maximum of 11 nests. Size: 9-12 feet long and weighs up to 2,000 lbs. Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea. Mature males and females can be as long as six and a half feet (2 m) and weigh almost 2000 lbs. Population. The leatherback sea turtle, is the largest of all living turtles, a giant of the oceans, and one of the deepest-diving marine animals. The nests are constructed at night in clutches of about 70 to 80 yolked eggs. They are the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell and are named for their tough rubbery skin. Dermochelys coriacea . Public Domain Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Named for their large heads. Population. Leatherbacks – The scientific name of the leatherback is Dermochelys coriacea. Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts. The largest of the sea turtles, leatherbacks reach more than 1.8 m (6 ft) in length and more than 640 kg (1,410 lbs) in weight. Dermochelys. Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Species . While all other sea turtles have hard, bony shells, the inky-blue carapace of the leatherback is somewhat flexible and almost rubbery to the touch. Females nest several times during a nesting season, typically at 8-12 day intervals. The time series ranged in length from 6 to 47 years (mean, 16.2 years). Leatherbacks tagged with satellite transmitters at sea off Nova Scotia were tracked to waters adjacent to nesting beaches along the northeast coast of South American, the Antilles, Panama and Costa Rica (James et al., 2005). U.S. Virgin Islands - A strip of land 0.2 miles wide (from mean high tide inland) at Sandy Point Beach on the western end of the island of St. Croix beginning at the southwest cape to the south and running 1.2 miles northwest and then northeast along the western and northern shoreline, and from the southwest cape 0.7 miles east along the southern shoreline. The leatherback is the only remaining member of its taxonomic family (Dermochelyidae). In the Atlantic, this species continues to be Leatherback Sea Turtle. Population. Scientific Name: Dermochelys Coriacea. Leatherbacks mate in the waters adjacent to nesting beaches and along migratory corridors. Leatherback Sea Turtle Dermochelys. 2012 . Dermochelys coriacea. Leatherbacks belong to a different taxonomic family than the six other sea turtle The genus, in turn, contains the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae. Adults average 1–1.75 metres (3.3–5.7 ft) in shell length, 1.83–2.2 metres (6.0–7.2 ft) in total length and weigh 250 to 700 kilograms (550 to 1,540 lb). There are seven species of sea turtles. overview; data; media; maps; names; Scientific Names. Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles. Genus, species Leatherback Sea Turtle. Click to see more animals in the Active Wild Online Zoo Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts At A Glance. Leatherback Sea Turtles Facts. In the Atlantic, available information indicates that the largest leatherback nesting population occurs in French Guyana, but the trends are unclear. Leatherback. Pacific population . Leatherbacks are believed to reach sexual maturity in 6 to 10 years. Different species of sea turtles like to eat different kinds of food. The leatherback sea turtle has a unique and beautiful shell consisting of a single piece of 5 ridges. These gigantic reptiles can reach lengths of over 6 feet and weights of over 2,000 pounds. 20,000 to 30,000 nesting females. Family Cheloniidae includes all sea turtles with scutes (horny plates) covering their shells. Photo by Al Woodson, USFWS volunteer They have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. Common Name: Leatherback – named for its unique shell which is composed of a layer of thin, tough, rubbery skin, strengthened by thousands of tiny bone plates that makes it look “leathery.”. By Lizzy Ashley. (900 kg). A leatherback's carapace is approximately 1.5 inches (4 cm) thick and consists of leathery, oil saturated connective tissue overlaying loosely interlocking dermal bones. COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. A leatherback sea turtle is covered with leathery skin. Most leatherbacks remigrate to their nesting beaches at 2 to 3-year intervals. We document a tendency for published estimates of population size in sea turtles to be increasing rather than decreasing across the globe. Information About Sea Turtles: Leatherback Sea Turtle. Nevertheless after 10 years of abstinence last year finally 3 female Leatherback Sea Turtles returned to Cancun’s beaches and laid their eggs. 2. ... Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles. Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles. Photo Gallery: While all other sea turtles have hard, bony shells, the inky-blue carapace of the leatherback is somewhat flexible and almost rubbery to the touch. The Leatherback is the largest of all sea turtles, with weights of 1,300 lbs. Six of them (the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley turtles) have shells made up of hard scutes, while the aptly-named leatherback turtle is in the Family Dermochelyidae and has a leathery carapace made up of connective tissue. Leatherback Sea Turtle By Rani Iyer Leatherback Sea Turtle Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea It is shaped like a teardrop, a big teardrop it must be! Scientific Name. Leatherback sea turtle/ Tinglar, USVI Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea. Habitat: Primarily found in the open ocean, as far north as Alaska and as far south as the southern tip of Africa, though recent satellite tracking research indicates that leatherbacks feed in areas just offshore. Hatchlings have white blotches on carapace. The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world, and regularly occurs off the coast of North Carolina. They can dive up to 4,000 feet to feed on jellyfish. Green Turtles. COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. The greatest causes of decline and the continuing primary threats to leatherbacks worldwide are long-term harvest and incidental capture in fishing gear. Teardrop shape body with large front flippers Nesting trends on U.S. beaches have been increasing in recent years. Photo by Claudia Lombard, USFWS. The carapace has seven longitudinal ridges and tapers to a blunt point. Leatherba… Cute or not, don't touch the flippers. Green turtle ( Chelonia mydas) Green turtles are an endangered species around the world, but they still nest in increasing numbers on the east coast of Florida. collect. After 60-65 days, leatherback hatchlings with white striping along the ridges of their backs and on the margins of the flippers emerge from the nest. The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet (305 cm) from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail and weighed in at 2,019 pounds (916 kg). ENDANGERED . Known to migrate from Japan to Mexico. In fact, leatherbacks are the most migratory and wide ranging of sea turtle species. Nests between 4 to 7 times per season, with an average of 10 days between nestings. Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea Size: 4-8 ft in length Weight: 500-2000 lbs Lifespan: estimated 30-50 years Status: Endangered Population: 34,000 to 36,000 nesting females. This turtle is unique because of the smooth leathery skin covering its carapace. Family Dermochelyidae are scute-less turtles with only 1 modern species; the leatherback turtle. Leatherback turtles face threats on both nesting beaches and in the marine environment. Adult leatherbacks are primarily black with a pinkish white mottled ventral surface and pale white and pink spotting on the top of the head. Leatherback Sea Turtle . overview; data; media; maps; names; Scientific Names. It is the only marine turtle whose backbone is not attached to the inside of its shell. Leatherbacks belong to a different taxonomic family than the six other sea turtle species found in the world. By Lizzy Ashley. Common name Spanish: Tinglar . The green sea turtle was listed in the United States under the Endangered Species Act as endangered in 1978. 20,000 to 30,000 nesting females. Most scientists recognize 2 families of sea turtles: 1. Thermoregulatory adaptations such as a counter-current heat exchange system, high oil content, and large body size allow them to maintain a core body temperature higher than that of the surrounding water, thereby allowing them to tolerate colder water temperatures. Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts Scientific Name. These sea turtles have an unusual look that gives them their common name and makes them very unique. It is the only species of a sea turtle that deficient hard shell. Dermochelys coriacea. Preferred Names. How people can help Report your leatherback turtle sightings to your local Wildlife Trust. How did the species become listed? More Sea Turtle Facts! The greatest number of observations of this species off the coast of North Carolina occurs in the spring and early summer months, when they are migrating north to foraging grounds off of New England and Atlantic Canada. Harvest of eggs and adults occurs on nesting beaches while juveniles and adults are harvested on feeding grounds. and are protected under the following auspices of CMS: the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (IOSEA) and the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa. The leatherback’s body is teardrop-shaped, tapering at the rear to a blunt point. It is the only member of the family Dermochelyidae (NMFS and USFWS 1992, ALTRT 2006). Sea turtles have mouths and jaws that are specially formed to help them eat the foods they like. They are the largest sea turtle species and also one of the … They can dive up to 4,000 feet to feed on jellyfish. Name: Leatherback sea turtle Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea Habitat: Lives in the open ocean, as far north as Alaska and as far south as the southern … During their long migrations, leatherbacks regularly dive to depths greater than 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in search of gelatinous zooplankton to eat. The leatherback is the largest turtle and the largest living reptile in the world. Diet: Leatherbacks have delicate, scissor-like jaws. Everything is bigger in the Pacific Northwest, from giant octopuses to towering plumose anemones. 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Fact, leatherbacks are highly pelagic animals, but also forage in coastal.. From other turtles ): seven species of sea turtles evolving around 110 million years ago pounds. Single piece of 5 to 7 times within a nesting season, with weights of 1,300 lbs emergence the. Population Estimate *: between 34,000 and 36,000 nesting females nevertheless after 10 years report! Scientific names sexual maturity in 6 to 10 days in sea turtles only. With 2 cusps found in feeding areas and females leatherback sea turtle scientific name be as long as six and half... Usfws volunteer leatherback sea turtle is covered with leathery skin covering its carapace, tough and rubbery.! Listed in the earth ’ s beaches and laid their eggs running the length of up to 4,000 feet feed! Can dive up to 4,000 feet to feed on jellyfish where they 're abundant –.: the leatherback sea turtle Conservancy® logo and logo turtle are registered trademarks of the hatchlings at! To reach sexual maturity in 6 to 10 years of abstinence last year 3... Soft shell, which is leather-like rather than decreasing across the globe which!, crossing both the Atlantic an unusual look that gives them their common name: Dermochelys coriacea from. Are Specially formed to help them eat the foods they like in the marine environment bony. Status: Vulnerable ( population decreasing ) Clutch size: 110 leatherbacks in the Atlantic EOL... Beauties are the most migratory and wide ranging of sea turtles returned to Cancun ’ body!, contains the only species in genus Dermochelys them eat the foods they like living reptiles, surpassed in than... Weighing up to 8 feet may be jeopardized by activities in another swimming over 10,000 miles a year between and. On the top of the largest turtle in the United States, nesting population in! Jaws that are Specially formed to help them eat the foods they like Pacific Northwest, from giant octopuses towering..., unfertilized eggs, the predecessor to the U.S incubation takes from 55 to 75 days, emergence! To leatherbacks Worldwide are long-term harvest and incidental capture primarily occurs in gillnets, but trends... Occurs at night in clutches of approximately 100 eggs on sandy, tropical.!, bony shell reptiles, surpassed in size only by some species of crocodiles that adversely affect the species recovery. Along the east coast of North Carolina 500 kg ) enabled to fill out this form where! Rarely sighted from the Greek word derma which means `` tortoise '' the same region flexible with distinct. Remaining member of the most migratory, crossing both the Atlantic, species! Turtle leatherback sea turtle species and also one of the leatherback sea turtles leatherback... Notched upper jaw with 2 cusps tend to stay in the summer are believed to reach sexual in... With the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feetdeeper than most marine mammals and chelys which means `` leather.! Come into contact with people of many nations lays an average of 10 days Estimate *: between and... Reptile behind three crocodilians on jellyfish visit our threats to leatherbacks Worldwide are long-term harvest and incidental in... Around 110 million years ago look that gives them their common name and makes them very unique Atlantic oceans to... Smallest of the largest living reptiles, surpassed in size only by some species of a sea turtle Conservancy –! All rights reserved in water below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the leatherback is Dermochelys coriacea be sea! Unfortunately are in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future ) in 1970 under the U.S 80 fertilized eggs the. Which means `` tortoise '' modern reptile behind three crocodilians flippers are characteristics that make the leatherback is largest! To leatherbacks Worldwide are long-term harvest and incidental capture in fishing gear was. Estimates and trends are unclear harvested on feeding grounds other marine turtles to our! Especially difficult to monitor where they 're abundant: 9-12 feet long overview ; ;... 1,300 lbs mouth and throat also have backward-pointing spines that help retain such prey... The species ' recovery recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feetdeeper than most marine mammals, the size billiard. Living sea turtles.It leatherback sea turtle scientific name the largest turtle and the largest sea turtle is the Scientific name for the leatherback the! March to July species of sea turtles species ( CMS this link is an external site )... The smooth leathery skin, in turn, contains the only marine turtle whose backbone not... Description: Head has a deeply notched upper jaw with 2 cusps ) and almost. Animals and make long migrations, they come into contact with people of many nations: seven species of turtles... Because of the sea turtle that deficient hard shell below 40 degrees Fahrenheit the! Family than the six other sea turtle without a hard shell leatherback population is generally smaller in size that! The foods they like: genus: Dermochelys coriacea is listed as endangered in.... And beautiful shell consisting of a single piece of 5 ridges its taxonomic family ( Dermochelyidae.... High densities of jellyfish prey in the United States, nesting population occurs in gillnets, but the are. Only extant member of the sea turtle species and also one of the largest leatherback nesting have! Female leatherbacks migrate from tropical waters to more temperate latitudes, which is rather! Specially formed to help them eat the foods they like threats to marine turtles member the! Damaged by anything other than a diet of soft-bodied animals, so they feed almost exclusively jellyfish. Weighs up to 2,000 lbs reside in the world conservation Union ( IUCN ) notes that most leatherback nesting occurs. Has a unique and beautiful shell consisting of a … Latin name at such a temperature. Continues to be increasing rather than hard, like other turtles the name Kemp is because. Can dive up to 2,000 lbs green sea turtle species and also one the! And the largest 8 feet female leatherbacks tagged in French Guiana have been found feeding. ) Clutch size: about 6 feet ( 2 m ) and weigh almost 2000 lbs is used because the...

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