Hawksbill (Eretmochelys Imbricata)
Definition
The sea turtle species that produces tortoiseshell. Distinguishable by its narrow pointed beak, overlapping (imbricate) scutes, and four pairs of lateral scutes. CITES Appendix I listed.
- Species
- Eretmochelys imbricata
- Product
- Source of tortoiseshell (bekko)
- Beak
- Narrow and pointed
- Scutes
- Overlapping (imbricate), four lateral pairs
- Protection status
- CITES Appendix I
Common questions
How is tortoiseshell distinguished from plastic imitations in casework?+
Genuine hawksbill scute shows natural mottled colour variation and a layered keratin structure visible under magnification or on x-ray, while plastic substitutes are typically uniform in colour and lack that internal layering.
Why is the overlapping scute pattern diagnostic for hawksbill identification?+
Imbricate scutes overlap like roof tiles, unlike the flush, non-overlapping scutes of green and loggerhead turtles, so the overlap pattern combined with the narrow hooked beak lets examiners identify hawksbill shell material without genetic testing in many cases.
Related terms
- Imbricate vs Juxtaposed Scutes
- Hawksbill scutes overlap like roof tiles (imbricate); green and most other sea turtle scutes meet edge-to-edge without overlapping (juxtaposed). This difference is...
- Mitochondrial Haplotype
- A specific variant of mitochondrial DNA sequence. Because mitochondria are inherited maternally, haplotypes track female lineages and cluster by nesting rookery in...
- Natal Homing
- The behavior by which female sea turtles return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. This produces strong...
- PIT Tag
- Passive integrated transponder: a small RFID chip implanted under the skin of tagged sea turtles. Can be scanned from a carcass even...
- Scute
- An individual plate of keratinous shell that overlaps with its neighbors on the outer carapace of a sea turtle. Count, arrangement, and...