DIVE LOG Australasia

Leatherback Turtles

Dermochelys coriacea

Understanding Turtles Hawksbill turtle , Eretmochelys imbricata has a large pointy beak, thick overlapping scales. It eats sponges, soft corals algae and sea shells. They grow to 0.8 m in shell size. There are two pairs of scales between the eyes. Green turtles , Chelonia mydas , grow to about one metre carapace. They have much rounder shell and a 1 m one is massive in the body. They eats algae but juveniles are carnivorous Olive Ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea Flatback turtle Natator depressus grows to shell length of 0.9 metres. They are carnivorous. The Leatherback turtle , Dermochelys coriacea , grows to 1.8 metres. It is known to cross oceans. Leatherbacks dive to 900 metres and have no scales. Loggerhead turtle , Caretta caretta , has a large wide head, powerful jaws for eating Cunjevoi and other tough stuff like sea urchins, crabs and jellies. The Leatherback turtle is the world’s largest turtle growing to two metres in body length. Its leathery, flexible skin is oily. It does not have a hard turtle shell. There are seven ridges on its back. Leatherbacks are known to swim from Asia to California to feed on Jelly blubbers. They are vulnerable to floating plastic bags. Photo credit Steve Wright.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #408 - October ‘24

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