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Anatomy of the Hawksbill Turtle | |||
| Hawksbill turtles are relatively small sea turtles. Just like the other sea turtles its got a depressed body form and it's flippers are adapted for swimming. It has an average carapace on 90 cm and weight around 80 kg. Male turtles are distinguished by a brighter pigmentation, a concave plastron, long claws, and a thicker tail. |  | ||
 | The carapace of an adult has a "tortoiseshell" coloring, ranging from dark to golden brown, with streaks of orange, red, and/or black. The plastron is clear yellow. The rear edge of the carapace is almost always serrated, except in older adults, and has overlapping "scutes". | ||
| The hawksbill turtle's head is elongated and tapers to a point, with a beak-like mouth that gives the species its name. The shape of the mouth allows the hawksbill turtle to reach into holes and crevices of coral reefs to find sponges, their primary food source as adults, and other invertebrates. | |||
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All about sea turtles | Sea Turtle
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All about sea turtles | Sea Turtle
In cooperation with Home of Flatback sea turtles