HAWKSBILL SEATURTLE SKIN

On Mona Island, an average of two emergences per successful nest was calculated one female was observed making as many as 11 digging attempts on a single emergence. Not all emergences or nesting attempts result in eggs being laid. As many as 12 clutches may be produced by a single female in one season. Hawksbills nest an average of 4.5 times per season at intervals of approximately 14 days. The entire process takes approximately one to three hours. Nesting behavior follows the general sequence of that of other species of sea turtles: emerging from the sea, selecting a site, clearing the site and constructing a body pit, constructing the egg chamber, laying the eggs, filling in the egg chamber, disguising the nest site, and returning to sea. Nesting in the Caribbean is principally nocturnal, although rare daytime nesting is known. Courtship and mating apparently begin somewhat earlier, and may occur either along the migratory route or off the nesting beach. On Mona Island, Puerto Rico, the peak season is August to October.

Virgin Islands), are made from July to October. Most nests onīuck Island Reef National Monument (St. The six-month nesting season of the hawksbill is longer than that of other sea turtles. While other sea turtles nest in colonies, the hawksbill prefers to nest alone, using the same nesting sites year after year. Hatchlings emerge as a group and scurry perilously for the sea. The female comes ashore, scoops out a nest in the sand, and deposits about 160 eggs, which incubate for 50 days. It breeds year-round in tropical waters, usually at two-or three-year intervals. Unlike the green turtle, the hawksbill does not migrate but occupies a relatively small home range. Primarily carnivorous, the hawksbill feeds near coral reefs on jellyfish, sponges, and other sessile organisms. Hawksbill crawls are difficult to distinguish from those of the loggerhead turtle, and hatchlings of the two species are also very similar, making identification of nests and estimates of productivity very difficult. Caribbean average about 1.7 in (4.2 cm) in straight carapace length and weigh 0.5-0.7 oz (13.5-19.5 g).

Nesting females average about 2.9 ft (87 cm) in curved carapace length and weigh about 100 lb (45 kg), with a record weight of 280 lb (127 kg).

The hawksbill is a small to medium-sized marine turtle. The scales of the head and fore-limbs are dark brown or black and have yellow borders. The head is elongate and tapers sharply to a point. There are typically four pairs of inframarginal scales.

HAWKSBILL SEATURTLE SKIN

The soft skin on the hawks-bill's venter is cream or yellow and may be pinkish-orange in mature individuals. The scutes of the plastron of Atlantic hawksbills are usually clear yellow, with little or no dark pigmentation. On the hawksbill sea turtle, carapacial scutes are often richly patterned with irregularly radiating streaks of brown and black on an amber background. Jellyfish, sponges, sessile organisms, algae.Īlabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, U. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata Statusīrown-shelled sea turtle, weighing about 100 lb (45 kg).

Hawksbill seaturtle