Sea Turtles

The Latin species name "depressa" means flat. This name refers to the flatness of the carapace.

As adults the flatback has a yellow-grey or a green-grey colored oval shaped carapace. The plastron) is typically a pale yellow. There is a yellow band underneath and outlining the marginal scutes. Adults may weigh as much as 198 pounds (90 kilograms) and measure 39 inches (100 centimeters) long. There is a single pair of prefrontal scales on the head. The carapace has four pairs of costal scutes. The head is relatively larger than that of a comparable sized green turtle and is more triangular in shape. Similar to the Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) the flatbacks have a soft shell.

Hatchling flatbacks are a light tannish-grey color with bright black outlines along the carapace scutes. The plastron is white. They also have white-tan fringing along the marginal scutes and flipper edges.

At one time, this turtle was considered a relative of the green sea turtle, but it was returned to it's own genus, Natator, by Limpus et al (1988) and Zangerl and Hendrickson (1988).

The flatback sea turtle inhabits coastal coral reefs and grassy shallows of Australia and Indonesia. It feeds primarily on sea cucumbers and crustaceans, and is found primarily in the northern coastal area of Australia and the Gulf of Papua, New Guinea.

October to February is the nesting season in Queensland Northern Territory, but it may nest year-around in Northwestern Australia.