Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

Two pairs of blow shields. Upper beak half just out (“hook beak”).
Dorsal shield overlap, often with serrated edge.

Size : 114 cm, 77 kg.

Habitat : Common in all reef zones. The most common turtle in the majority of tropical reefs. Omnivorous, however predominantly feeds on invertebrates, especially sponges, soft coral, also sea anemone, jellyfish as well as highly toxic box jellyfish. It is threatened by worldwide persecution: drift nets, hunting, tortoise shell trade.

Distribution : All tropical and sub-tropical seas.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Reptilia

ORDER

:

Testudines

FAMILY

:

Cheloniidae

GENUS

:

Eretmochelys

SPECIES

:

Eretmochelys imbricata

Other Information

Population Status

Critically Endangered (CR)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner