Caretta caretta
Loggerhead Turtle
©Strobilomyces: Mature loggerhead turtle
©Bachrach44: Loggerhead sea turtle in the National Aquarium in Washington DC.
©National Park Service, USA: A loggerhead hatchling
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Testudines
Family
Cheloniidae
Genus
Caretta
Species
Caretta caretta
Status
endangered
Colours
Distinguishing features
The head and carapace range from a yellow-orange to a reddish-brown, while the plastron (underside) is typically pale yellow. The turtle's neck and sides are brown on the tops and yellow on the sides and bottom.
Sexual dimorphism of the loggerhead sea turtle is only apparent in adults. Adult males have longer tails and claws than females. The males' plastrons are shorter than the females', presumably to accommodate the males' larger tails. The carapaces of males are wider and less domed than the females', and males typically have wider heads than females. (Wikipedia)
Size
- Up to 280 cm (Total Length) - applies to Huge specimens
- Up to 90 cm (Total Length) - applies to Normal specimens
Weight
- Up to 150 kg
Synonyms
Distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
It inhabits the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. (Wikipedia)
Local abundance
- South-West Western Australian beaches: Like the Green Turtle hatchlings of this species that are swept south by the Leeuwin Current can end up dead or moribund on southern Perth beaches which , can of course, include the Yalgorup sea frontage.
