TURTLE IDENTIFICATION
Data Compiled by,
JinoBlessil R
Forest Range Officer
Gulf of Mannar Marine
National Park
Turtles - Intro
• Turtles belongs to the order Testudines and super family cheloiniodea
• The leatherback sea turtle is the largest sea turtle, measuring 2–3 m (6–
9 ft) in length
• Sea turtles' limbs and brains have evolved to adapt to their diets. Their
limbs originally evolved for locomotion, but more recently evolved to aid
them in feeding. They use their limbs to hold, swipe, and forage their
food. This helps them eat more efficiently
• Sea turtles are generally found in the waters over continental shelves.
During the first three to five years of life, sea turtles spend most of their
time in the pelagic zone floating in seaweed mats
• Philopatry is observed in sea turtles (tendency to return to a place)
• Temperature based sex determination
• Warm- Female
• Cool- Male
• They excrete excess salt through lachrymal (tear) glands
• Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles that have lungs, so they regularly
surface to breathe
• Turtles exhibit biofluorescence
• Magnetoreception is believed to help them navigate
• They are culturally much valued with lots of believes, myths and folklores
surrounding them
Turtles in Tamil Literature
Akanaanuru (160) written during 2nd to 5th CE
ஒடுங்கு ஈர் ஓதி நினக்கும் அற்ற ோ?
The lord of the seashore with groves,
நடுங்கின்று அளித்து என் நிற இல் நநஞ்சம்,
where a fully pregnant turtle breaks and
அடும்பு நகோடி சிறதய வோங்கிக் நகோடுங்கழிக்
குப்றை நவண்மணல் ைக்கம் றசர்த்தி
pulls adumpu vines (Ipomoea pescaprae)
நிற ச்சூல் யோறம மற த்து ஈன்று, புறதத்த 5 and covers with them her flesh-stinking,
றகோட்டு வட்டு உருவின் புலவு நோறு முட்றபப் round eggs that look like ivory dice on the
ைோர்ப்ைிபன் ஆகும் அளறவ ைகுவோய்க்
white sand near the backwaters, and her
கணவன் ஓம்பும் கோனலஞ்றசர்ப்ைன்,
mate with a gaping mouth protects them
முள் உ ின் சி த்தல் அஞ்சி நமல்ல
வோவு உறபறமயின் வள்ைின் கோட்டி,
until they are hatched
Fresh water turtle vs Sea turtle vs Tortoise
Tortoise Fresh Water Turtle Sea turtle
Limbs stumpy, flat-bottomed Webbed toes Fused together toes
“elephant feet” and strong forming flippers
nails for digging
Shell Tortoises have high, dome- Flatter Tear drop shaped
shaped shells and can retreat streamlined body.
head into their shell Cannot retreat their
head
ANATOMY
Identification of turtles can
be easily done by the shell
pattern.
The lateral scutes and
prefrontal scutes aid in easy
identification
4 pairs of lateral scutes and first pair of lateral scutes not in contact with precentral scute
2 claws on front flipper
Overlapping central scutes
4 prefrontal scutes
Eliptical carapace Carapace is elliptical
Only one possibility Hawk like, non serrated beak
1 claw on front flipper
Non overlapping central scutes
2 prefrontal scutes
Two possibilities
Flat shell turtle
Green Turtle (Only seen in Australian Reef)
5 pairs of lateral scutes and first pair of lateral scutes in contact with precentral scute
More than 5 pairs of lateral scutes
Only one possibility
OLIVE RIDLEY
5 pairs of lateral chutes
Two possibilities
Kemp’s Ridley turtle
Logger head Turtle (Only seen in Atlantic Ocean)
IDENTIFICATION SIMPLIFIED IN
INDIAN CONTEXT
IDENTIFICATION KEY
• Leathery back- Leather back turtle
• Lateral scutes
4 pairs of lateral scutes- Green turtle or Hawksbill turtle
Central scutes
Non- Overlapping- Green Turtle
Overlapping – Hawksbill turtle
5 pairs of lateral scutes- Logger head turtle
More than 5- Olive Ridley
Leather back Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
General
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world. They are the
only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. They are
named for their tough rubbery skin and have existed in their current form
since the age of the dinosaurs. Leatherbacks are highly migratory, some
swimming over 10,000 miles a year between nesting and foraging
grounds. They are also accomplished divers with the deepest recorded
dive reaching nearly 4,000 feet
Nesting
Female leatherbacks return to nest every 2 to 4 years. Leatherbacks nest
several times during a nesting season, typically at 8- to 12-day intervals
and lay clutches of approximately 100 eggs. The eggs incubate
approximately two months before leatherback hatchlings emerge from
the nest. They leave behind circular tracks on the sand
Ecological Importance
They have pointed tooth-like cusps and sharp-edged jaws that are
perfectly adapted for a diet of soft-bodied open ocean prey such as
jellyfish and salps. A leatherback's mouth and throat also have backward-
pointing spines that help retain gelatinous prey. They help keep the jelly
fish population in check
Identification Checklist
• Leathery carapace
4 Pairs of Lateral Scutes
Hawksbill Turtle - 4 prefrontal scutes
4 prefrontal scutes
Green Turtle - 2 prefrontal scutes
2 prefrontal scutes
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
General
This species is not as large as other sea turtles, weighing
around 68 kg. Hawksbills can be usually seen near to coral reefs
and grass meadows. They generally stay close to reefs for
protection against potential predators such as sharks
Nesting
Every 2 to 3 years, females can lay from 60 to 200 eggs at a
time and choose to nest near coral reefs
Ecological Importance
They are crucial for the healthy state of coral reefs. Since they
eat the sponges from the reef’s surface, they are one of the
reasons why reef fish can access their food in the reef. They
may also eat sea urchins, barnacles and sea grasses
Identification Checklist
• Pointed beak.
Hatchling
• Elliptical carapace, brightly coloured.
• 4 thick lateral scutes overlapping in different colours: orange,
brown and yellow.
• 2 elongated claws found on each flipper in males
• Can grow up to 90 cm long
4 prefrontal scutes
Green Turtle
Chelonia mydas 4 pairs of lateral scute
General
This is the largest hard shell turtle and can weigh up to 200 kg . Critter
cameras and GPS trackers recorded them traveling 2,000 km to get from
nesting sites to feeding grounds. They are mostly found grazing near
grassy seafloors and are believed to get more than 100 years old. The
colour of their fat is green in colour, hence the name green turtle
Nesting
When females are ready to nest, they usually choose the same beach used
by their mothers. They lay up to 120 eggs, and like many other sea turtle
species, only a small fraction of these survive. Their eggs look similar to
deflated ping pong balls and soft to the touch.
Ecological Importance
Juveniles are carnivores but they eventually become vegan. Since green
turtles feed on seagrasses and algae, they maintain the seagrass beds
healthy and productive by ensuring availability of new flush growth.
Healthy seagrass beds lead to a healthy nursery habitat. Major threats are
due to disturbance in nesting habitats, fish net caused drowning, boat
propeller injuries 2 prefrontal scutes
Identification Checklist
• Round, steep and smooth carapase.
• Carapace colour can be brown or olive.
• 4 pairs of costal scutes.
• 1 claw found on each flipper.
• Serrated jaw
• Tail is longer in male Males have longer tail Females have shorter tail
5 pairs of lateral scute
5 Pairs of Lateral Scutes
Logger Head Turtle
Logger head turtle Juvenile
Caretta caretta
General Hatchling
They are massive at 230 kg (about 500 lb), dive up to 230 m (about 750
ft) deep to regulate their body temperature and can get over 100 years
old. Distinguished by their large head and strong jaws, loggerhead turtles
are generally not mean spirited, although there have been cases where
they attack people with their powerful beak Logger head turtle eating highly
toxic Portugese Man of War
Nesting
Females nest about every 2 years and lay between 40 to 190 eggs per
clutch.
Ecological Importance
They feed on the incredibly poisonous Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish
(just like the nudibranchs). They also feed on mollusks, crabs, sponges
and urchins. In search of prey they excavate sediments from the sea
floor, which is essential to maintain its balance. They also provide their
shell as a habitat to at least 100 different species of small plants and
animals
Identification Checklist
• Big head and large neck.
• Heart shaped carapace, reddish brown with 5 pairs of costal scutes.
• 2 claws found on each flipper.
• Can grow up to 110 cm (about 43 in) long
More than 5 pairs of Lateral Scutes
Olive Ridley
Olive Ridley Turtle
Lepidochelys olivacea
General
The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea
turtles found in the world. Synchronized mass nesting behaviour
called as ‘arribada’ (meaning arrival in Spanish) is a special trait of
Olive Ridleys. Growing to about 61 cm (2 ft) in carapace length
(measured along the curve), the olive ridley sea turtle gets its
common name from its olive-colored carapace, which is heart-shaped
and rounded. Males and females grow to the same size, but females
have a slightly more rounded carapace as compared to males.
Hatchlings are dark gray with a pale yolk scar, but appear all black
when wet. The olive ridley sea turtle rarely weighs over 50 kg
Nesting
Olive ridleys generally begin to aggregate near nesting beaches about
two months before nesting season. Beach fidelity is common but not
absolute
Ecological Importance
Most observations are typically within 15 km of mainland shores in
protected, relatively shallow marine waters (22–55 m deep).Olive ridleys
are occasionally found in open waters. The olive ridley is
predominantly carnivorous, especially in immature stages of its lifecycle.
Animal prey consists of protochordates or invertebrates, which can be
caught in shallow marine waters or estuarine habitats. Common prey
items include jellyfish, tunicates, salps, sea urchins, bryozoans, bivalves,
snails, shrimp, crabs, rock lobsters, and sipunculid worms
Identification
More than 5 lateral scutes
1 or 2 claws on front flipper
