What is the maximum weight of a leatherback sea turtle?
The leatherback sea turtle can weigh more than 640 kilograms. This species is the largest of all living reptiles and can reach lengths exceeding 1.8 meters.
Common questions about Sea turtle
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How deep can a leatherback sea turtle dive?
A leatherback sea turtle can reach depths of over 1,200 meters. This diving ability allows the species to search for its primary food source, jellyfish, in deep waters.
When did the leatherback sea turtle lineage begin?
Fossil evidence traces the leatherback sea turtle lineage back to the Late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago. This history makes the species a sole survivor of the family Dermochelyidae.
How do sea turtles navigate across ocean basins?
Sea turtles use a magnetic map known as magnetoreception to navigate across vast ocean basins. This skill allows them to determine their position relative to a goal with both latitudinal and longitudinal information to return to their natal beaches.
What determines the sex of sea turtle hatchlings?
The sex of sea turtle hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the surrounding sand during incubation. Warmer temperatures produce female hatchlings, while cooler temperatures produce males.
How many sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood?
Only one in a hundred hatchlings will survive to adulthood. This statistic underscores the challenges faced by these young turtles as they navigate from the sand to the ocean.