Black Sea Turtle

Description:

Females (nesting grounds) mean 41.6 kg Males 55.8 kg Length ccl. nesting females mean 72cm (65 - 117cm) Males (on feeding grounds) 80cm (60 -95cm) • Medium sized turtles : smaller than Chelonia mydas • Carapace : subcardiform, more strongly vaulted and relatively narrower than that of Chelonia mydas. Slightly emarginate over neck and fore flippers, deeper emarginate over the rear flippers • Colours:Dark, slate grey, blotched with olive and brown, with or without radiating yellow stripes. Underneath (plastron): grey to bluish or yellowish-grey • Head:Small and blunt : single pair of scales in front of the eyes; • Mandibles covered by horny tomium with sharp cutting edges: lower jaw strongly serrated.