|
Règne :
|
Animalia
|
|
Embranchement :
|
Chordata
|
|
Classe :
|
Reptilia
|
|
Ordre :
|
Testudines
|
|
Famille :
|
Cheloniidae
|
|
Genre :
|
Caretta
|
|
Espèce :
|
caretta
|
| Nom Français : |
caouanne
|
| Nom Vernaculaire : |
loggerhead sea turtle
|
|
Description :
|
The largest hard-shelled turtle on earth. Adults are generally 33.5 - 39 inches in shell length (85 - 100 cm) and weigh around 300 lbs. (135 kg). The maximum known length is 7 ft. (213 cm), and turtles weighing 1,000 lbs. (453 kg.) have been reported. (These are old records and turtles of this size probably no longer exist.)
In our area, most Loggerheads are around 8 - 36 inches in shell length (20.3 - 91 cm). (Stebbins 2003)
Appearance
A large marine turtle with a very broad head, a thick, bony, elongated heart-shaped shell, and huge paddle-like limbs. The carapace is high in front, and contains 5 or more costal shields on each side which do not overlap. The posterior rim is serrated. The first shield touches the nuchal shield. There are 2 pairs of pre-frontal scales.
The carapace is reddish or orange-brown, with yellow edging around the shields. The plastron is cream colored with some dusky clouding. The head pigmentation varies from reddish to olive brown, with many yellow-bordered scales. The flippers are rusty brown.
Males have a wider shell, a long tail that extends well beyond the edge of the shell, a recurved claw on each forelimb, and more yellow color on the head. Young have a yellowish carapace with 3 lengthwise keels.
|
|
Auteurs & dates :
|
Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)
|
|
Recherche des images :
|
|
|
Photo
|
