Green

Chelonia mydas
Sea turtle fgures used by permission of the Marine Turtle Specialist Group (iucn-mtsg.org)
Source: Pritchard, P. C. H. and Mortimer, J. A. (1999) Taxonomy, External Morphology, and Species Identifcation. pp. 21-38. In: Eckert, K.L., K.A. Bjorndal, F.A. Abreu-Grobois, and M. Don-
nelly (Editors). 1999. Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No. 4. (for further details see http:
//www.iucn-mtsg.org/publications.htm) Illustrations by Tom McFarland
Hawksbill
Eretmochelys
imbricata
Loggerhead
Caretta caretta
Olive Ridley
Lepidochelys
olivacea
Kemps Ridley
Lepidochelys
kempii
Black*
Leatherback
Dermochelys
coriacea
SEATURTLE.ORG
Sea Turtle Identifcation Key
L
e
a
t
h
e
r
y
,

n
o

s
c
u
t
e
s
;
5

l
o
n
g

r
i
d
g
e
s
H
a
r
d

c
a
r
a
p
a
c
e

(
s
h
e
l
l
)

w
i
t
h

l
a
r
g
e

s
c
u
t
e
s

(
s
h
e
l
l

p
l
a
t
e
s
)
4

c
o
s
t
a
l

(
l
a
t
e
r
a
l
)

s
c
u
t
e
s
;
F
i
r
s
t

c
o
s
t
a
l

s
c
u
t
e

d
o
e
s

n
o
t

t
o
u
c
h

n
u
c
h
a
e
l
5

o
r

m
o
r
e

c
o
s
t
a
l

(
l
a
t
e
r
a
l
)

s
c
u
t
e
s
;
F
i
r
s
t

c
o
s
t
a
l

s
c
u
t
e

t
o
u
c
h
e
s

n
u
c
h
a
l
O
n
e

p
a
i
r

p
r
e
f
r
o
n
t
a
l

s
c
a
l
e
s
T
w
o

p
a
i
r
s

p
r
e
f
r
o
n
t
a
l

s
c
a
l
e
s
;
o
v
e
r
l
a
p
p
i
n
g

s
c
u
t
e
s
5

c
o
s
t
a
l

s
c
u
t
e
s
;
N
e
a
r
l
y

c
i
r
c
u
l
a
r
u
s
u
.

6

o
r

m
o
r
e

c
o
s
t
a
l

s
c
u
t
e
s
5

o
r

6

c
o
s
t
a
l

s
c
u
t
e
s
;
C
a
r
a
p
a
c
e

n
o
t

c
i
r
c
u
l
a
r
C
a
r
a
p
a
c
e

w
i
d
e

a
n
d

a
l
m
o
s
t

c
i
r
c
u
l
a
r
R
e
s
t
r
i
c
t
e
d

p
r
i
m
a
r
i
l
y

t
o

t
h
e

G
u
l
f

o
f

M
e
x
i
c
o

a
n
d

A
t
l
a
n
t
i
c

c
o
a
s
t

o
f

t
h
e

U
S
A
F
o
u
n
d

i
n

t
r
o
p
i
c
a
l

w
a
t
e
r
s

o
f

t
h
e

P
a
c
i
f
c
,

I
n
d
i
a
n

a
n
d

S
o
u
t
h

A
t
l
a
n
t
i
c

O
c
e
a
n
s
R
e
s
t
r
i
c
t
e
d

p
r
i
m
a
r
i
l
y

t
o

t
h
e

e
a
s
t
e
r
n

P
a
c
i
f
c

O
c
e
a
n
;
D
a
r
k

p
i
g
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
Flatback
Natator
Depressus
F
o
u
n
d

i
n

t
r
o
p
i
c
a
l

c
o
a
s
t
a
l

w
a
t
e
r
s

o
f

A
u
s
t
r
a
l
i
a
;

C
a
r
a
p
a
c
e

h
a
s

u
p
t
u
r
n
e
d

e
d
g
e
s
Common Name Spanish Name Scientifc Name
Leatherback Baula, Tortuga Lad, Tora Dermochelys coriacea
Color dark gray/black with white spots Carapace tapered; leathery with 5 ridges
Max Length 165 - 190+ cm Plastron relatively small
Max Weight 400 - 500 kg Head tooth-like notch on either side of upper jaw; no scales
Range all oceans, subarctic to tropical; pelagic
Green Turtle Tortuga Verde, Tortuga Blanca Chelonia mydas
Color J: radiating streaks; A: brown, buff Carapace 4 costal scutes
Max Length 120 cm Plastron yellowish; 4 inframarginal scutes
Max Weight 230 kg Head round face; serrated jaw; 1 pair elongate prefontal scales
Range all subtropical and tropical seas; bays and coastal waters
Black Turtle* Tortuga Negra, Prieta Chelonia mydas
Color black or grayish with black markings Carapace 4 costal scutes
Max Length 90 cm Plastron cream to gray; 4 inframarginal scutes
Max Weight 150 kg Head round face; serrated jaw; 1 pair elongate prefontal scales
Range East Pacifc Ocean; bays and coastal waters
*The status of the Black turtle or east Pacifc green turtle, sometime referred to as Chelonia agassizii or C. mydas agassizii, remains uncertain. Recent genetic evi-
dence supports an Atlantic-Mediterranean vs. Indian-Pacifc grouping, while morphological and behavioral data suggest an east Pacifc species or subspecies.
Flatback Turtle Kikila, Tortuga Franca Oriental Natator depressus
Color olive grey Carapace 4 costal scutes; broad and round; upturned margins
Max Length 100 cm Plastron yellowish; 4 inframarginal scutes
Max Weight 90 kg Head preoccular scale; wide; fat; triangular
Range tropical coastal Australia
Hawksbill Turtle Tortuga Carey Eretmochelys imbricata
Color amber and brown streaks Carapace 4 costal scutes; (usually) overlapping scutes; oval
Max Length 90 - 110+ cm Plastron cream with dark blotches front and rear; 4 inframarginal scutes
Max Weight 80 kg Head curved beak; distinct overbite; 2 pair prefrontal scales
Range all oceans; tropical waters; reef areas

Loggerhead Caguama, Amarilla, Cabezona, Tortuga Boba Caretta caretta
Color red brown to brown Carapace longer than wide; 5 or more costal scutes, frst very small
Max Length 90 - 110 cm Plastron yellow to orange, 3 inframarginal scutes
Max Weight 100 - 180 kg Head large head; 4 or more prefontal scales
Range all oceans; primarily temperate waters; near shore, often associate with structures (i.e., wrecks, platforms)
Kemps Ridley Tortuga Lora, Cotorra Lepidochelys kempii
Color gray to light olive green Carapace round; 5 (sometimes 6) costal scutes
Max Length 70 cm Plastron white to yellow; 4 inframarginal scutes with pores
Max Weight 40 - 50 kg Head triangular; relatively large; 2 pair prefrontal scales
Range Gulf of Mexico, eastern USA; coastal; < 16 N
Olive Ridley Tortuga Golfna, Tortuga Olivacea, Parlama Lepidochelys olivacea
Color gray to olive green Carapace nearly round; 6 - 9 costal scutes, number may be asymmetrical
Max Length 70 - 80 cm Plastron cream/white; 4 inframarginal scutes with pores
Max Weight 45 - 60 kg Head triangular; relatively large; 2 pair prefrontal scales
Range tropical waters of Pacifc, Indian and South Atlantic Oceans; pelagic
Species Descriptions
SUGGESTED REFERENCES
Bjorndal, KA (Editor). 1995. Biology and Conservation
of Sea Turtles (Revised Edition). Smithsonian Institution
Press, Washington, DC.
Eckert, KL, KA Bjorndal, FA Abreu-Grobois, and M Donnelly
(Editors). 1999. Research and Management Techniques for
the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle
Specialist Group Publications No. 4.
Lutz, PL, and J Musick (Editors). 1996. The Biology of Sea
Turtles. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
Produced in cooperation with:
Report sea turtles sighted during REEF surveys as an addi-
tional species on the back of your survey report form.
Visit <http://www.reef.org/data/seaturtle.htm> for more infor-
mation.
Last updated: 30 May 2005