Leatherback

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by Alyssa R. ** Leatherback sea turtles are the largest of all sea turtles and the fourth largest reptile behind three crocodilans. It's the only living species in the genus. It can be differentiated from other sea turtles by its back. It has a lack of bony shell instead it's caraspace is covered by skin oil flesh dermochely's coriacea is the only existant member of the family dermochelyidae. Instead of teeth the leatherback turtle points his upper lip. He also has a backward spines in his throat to help swallow food. Leather back sea turtle can dive to depths as great as 4200 feet. Leather back sea turtles follow general sea turtles body plan of having a large ** ** doroventrally. flattened round body with to pairs of large flippers and a short tal like other sea turtles the leather back has flatten fore limbs are specially adapted for swimming in the ocean the claws are very noticed absent from both pairs of flippers. Some sea turtles have been sighted so far as the nourth gulf of St. Lawerence. Some have been seen in the caribean and the gabon in centrndal Africa. The beaches of mayumba National Park in Mayumba Gabon. Also the leather back turtles of the African contient .Also these turtles are turtles that nest on the Cost of Florida also known as a nesting ground for the leather back sea turtles is Costa Rica the beaches are of parismina. The recent estimate of the population of global nesting indicate 26 ,000 to 43,00 nesting of females annuallu wich is a dramtic decline from 115,000 in 1980 this declining numbers have contributed to consevate efforts to stablize the lether backs and move their speices away from the current status from critcally endangered. Mostly these turtles are found in the deep ocean the prefer deep water they seem to avoid coral reefs. These turtles are in danger by other animals polluling in the water or even bad food.The largest sea turtles are about 2.4 lengths and weigth from their flippers can be up to 2.7 length from tip to tip. They have a diet of a mass of jellyfish. Also all turtles mostly die from pollultion in the water because turtles eat jellyfish and may get confused between a floating bag and jellyfish. **