#Hawksbill seaturtle skin#

Nesting females average about 2.9 ft (87 cm) in curved carapace length and weigh about 100 lb (45 kg), with a record weight of 280 lb (127 kg). The hawksbill is a small to medium-sized marine turtle.

The scales of the head and fore-limbs are dark brown or black and have yellow borders. The head is elongate and tapers sharply to a point. There are typically four pairs of inframarginal scales.

#Hawksbill seaturtle skin#

The soft skin on the hawks-bill's venter is cream or yellow and may be pinkish-orange in mature individuals. The scutes of the plastron of Atlantic hawksbills are usually clear yellow, with little or no dark pigmentation. On the hawksbill sea turtle, carapacial scutes are often richly patterned with irregularly radiating streaks of brown and black on an amber background. Jellyfish, sponges, sessile organisms, algae.Īlabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, U. Marine Turtle Newsletter 42:6.Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata Statusīrown-shelled sea turtle, weighing about 100 lb (45 kg). Confirmed hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata, nesting in Broward County, Florida. Hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on the east coast of Florida.

Retrieved June 14, 2012, from NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. A northern nesting record for the hawksbill turtle. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Eretmochelys imbricata – Hawksbill turtle. Male biased sex ratio in a cold nest of a hawksbill sea turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata). American Museum Novitates 2248:1-29.ĭalrymple, G.H., Hampp, J.C., and Wellings, D.J. The ecology and migrations of sea turtles, the hawksbill turtle in the Caribbean Sea. The hawksbill has an oval body, narrow head, overlapping shields on its kaleidoscopic armor, a serrated edge on the rear of its shell and two claws on each flipper.Ĭarr, A., Hirth, H., And Ogren, L. Today, use of its shell is banned in most of the world but tortoiseshell goods still may appear in stores and people are asked not to buy them. The hawksbill was sought after in the past to use its beautifully patterned shell for jewelry, hair ornaments and other decorative items. This small agile sea turtle, about a yard long and 100 to 200 pounds, is known for its tortoise-colored shell. Its raptor-like jaws give the hawksbill its name.

The hawksbill sea turtle is the rarest sea turtle that regularly occurs in Florida (Meylan and Redlow 2006). Hawksbill sea turtles can reach a carapace (upper shell section) length of 35 inches (89 centimeters), and a weight range of 100-200 pounds (45.4-90.7 kilograms) (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 2012). This species is recognized by its beak-like mouth. The carapace is shield-shaped with brown, yellow, and black blotches or streaks. The plastron (lower shell section) is white to yellow and sometimes contains dark blotches. The hawksbill sea turtle has two pairs of prefrontal scales (located between the eyes), four pairs of coastal (lateral) scutes, and one nuchal (cervical) scute. The species also has two claws on each flipper (Meylan and Redlow 2006). Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network.Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees.Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc.