Atlas species information
Introduction
Detailed species information from your search of the Atlas.- Scientific name:
- Dermochelys coriacea
- Common name:
- leatherback turtle
- Naming authority:
- (Vandelli, 1761)
- Bio status category:
- Indigenous (Non-endemic)
- IUCN threat status:
- Critically Endangered
- NZ threat classification:
- Migrant
Refer to www.doc.govt.nz/nztcs for NZ threat classification system details.
leatherback turtle
Habitat
- While found in any salt water environment, leatherbacks spend most of their time far offshore.
- Leatherbacks have a unique ability to maintain their internal body temperature much higher than the surrounding water, therefore they can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.
- Food includes salps and jellyfish.
Description
- The scientific name means 'leathery'.
- The largest living turtle in the world and one of the largest living reptiles.
- Females grow to impressive size, on average measuring about 160 cm long and weighing 300-600 kg.
- Seven longitudinal ridges can be found along the carapace, or upper shell, with five similar ridges on the under shell.
- The turtle's shell is covered by a smooth skin, instead of the bony plates found on most turtles.
- Skin colour ranges from black to dark blue, with occassional patches of white or pink.
- Their flippers are very large and lack claws.
Distribution
- Leatherbacks have a wide distribution.
- They have been recorded as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Africa's Cape of Good Hope.
Notes
- The specific name means "leathery".
Statistical information and distribution map
| Before 1988 | Since 1988 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Specimen | 31 | 62 |
| Dead Specimen | 7 | 25 |
| Bone | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 41 | 89 |
Live or dead specimen or shed skin
Bone or fossil
