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Sea
Turtles |
Sea
Turtle, Inc.
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Flatback
Sea Turtle
(Kikila)
Natator depressus
Family: Cheloniidae |
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Adult
Female Flatback in Barrow Island, Australia. |
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Hatchling
Flatback in Barrow Island, Australia. |
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Photos
By: Jarrad Sherborne |
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Description |
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This
species name "depressa" is from Latin and means flat. This name refers to
the flatness of the upper shell (carapace). Locally
this turtle is called "Kikila" and is one of the seven hard-shelled species
of sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. This turtle has a yellow-grey
or a green-grey colored oval shaped upper shell (carapace). The lower shell
(plastron) is typically a pale yellow. There is a yellow band underneath
and outlining the marginal scutes. Adults of this turtle 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. 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 head is relatively
larger than that of a comparable sized green turtle and is more triangular
in shape. |
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Habitat
and Distribution |
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The
flatback sea turtle inhabits coastal coral reefs and grassy shallows.
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.
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General
Information |
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According
to Limpus et al (1988), the flatback nests up to 4 times per season at 13
to 18 day intervals. It lays an average of 50 eggs at a time, but these
are comparatively quite large. As large, in fact, as those of the giant
leatherback turtle. Because of the large size of the hatchlings, fewer are
taken by small predators such as crabs or gulls. October to February is
the nesting season in Queensland Northern Territory, but it may nest year-around
in Northwestern Australia. |
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Current
Threats and Historic Reasons for Decline |
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Because
of the remoteness of some of it's nesting beaches, this species is not
as critically endangered as many of the other species of sea turtles.
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Sea
Turtle, Inc.
(956) 761-4511
Seaturtleinc@yahoo.com
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6617
Padre Boulevard
South Padre Island, Texas
(across from the Tiki)
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Mailing
Address:
P.O.
Box 3987
South Padre Island, TX 78597
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Another
project by Web-Magik.com
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