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.
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...
Explained in
- Sea Turtle ForensicsThe sea turtle species that produces tortoiseshell. Distinguishable by its narrow pointed beak, overlapping (imbricate) scutes, and four pairs of lateral scute...