| Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtle) |
| 256.5 cm CL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 650 kg |
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benthopelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 1250 m |
| Circumglobal. |
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Color is uniformly dark. Shell not as solid; with 5 longitudinal ridges; approximately 2 m or more. Lacks firm internal skeleton. |
| Deepest dive recorded based on Ref. 86780, usually epipelagic (Refs. 78668, 85378). They are commonly found in the upper 200 m (Ref. 85786). Hatchlings and juveniles are assumed to be pelagic, migrating in search of food. Adults mainly feed on pelagic invertebrates, e.g., jellyfishes, tunicates, crustaceans and juvenile fishes. In some places it is used as bait for long line shark fisheries but this species have no commercial fisheries (Ref. 1397), although pelagic fisheries has been identified as a major source of its mortality (Ref. 85378). An example of this is the 1.4 million hooks deployed in the Atlantic daily (Ref. 85362). Declining populations have been reported in the Pacific (Ref. 85365). For conservation purposes, breeding interval between regions is important to note. The interval is generally longer in the Pacific than in the Atlantic and can be up to 7 years (Ref. 86781). Knowledge on leatherback turtle movements is important to determine areas where they may at high risk due to fisheries (Ref. 85378). Also, population estimates needs to be based on years of monitoring since each female only nests every few years (Ref. 85379). |
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Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 21 June 2013 (A2bd) Ref. 123251)
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