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A turtle swimming in a pool of clear water. Turtle hono swimming turtle.
Maui, United States (Unsplash WLicx3ggC4E)
A turtle laying on a rocky beach next to the ocean. Sea turtles turtles aquatic animals, emotions.
A turtle laying on a beach next to the ocean. Animal beach coast, animals.
A hippo in the water with it's mouth open. Hippo hippopotamus threaten.
Virgin Islands public domain photo - Leatherback Nesting
Related
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Hawksbill sea turtle on reef, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Hawksbill sea turtle swimming, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Green sea turtle and baitfish, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Green sea turtle grazing, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Green sea turtle gliding over reef, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Green sea turtle swimming with suckerfish, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Green sea turtle swimming with suckerfish, Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), Gulf Islands National Seashore, 2015.
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Virgin Islands National Park, 2015.
Summary
The leatherback sea turtle is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. It is easily differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell. Instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and skin with whitish spots. Unique among reptiles, it is able to maintain a high body temperature using endothermy (about 3x higher than expected for a reptile of its size). The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet long and weighed an amazing 2019 pounds! It is are also the fastest-moving reptile, listed in the 1992 Guinness Book of World Records as moving 21.91 mph (35.28 km/h) in water. Perhaps even more interesting, leatherbacks feed on jellyfish.