Hawksbill Sea Turtle Skull

Description

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Skull measures 7.1 inches. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in the USA. Scientific name is Eretmochelys imbricata. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home decor skull, or office decor skull.

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle or Eretmochelys imbricata is a Critically Endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle or Eretmochelys imbricata appearance is similar to that of other marine turtles. In general, it has a flattened body shape, a protective carapace, and flipper-like limbs, adapted for swimming in the open ocean.

Several characteristics of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle distinguish it from other sea turtle species. Its elongated, tapered head ends in a beak-like mouth (from which its common name is derived), and its beak is more sharply pronounced and hooked than others. The Hawksbill’s forelimbs have two visible claws on each flipper.

One of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle or Eretmochelys imbricata more easily distinguished characteristics is the pattern of thick scutes that make up its carapace. While its carapace has five central scutes and four pairs of lateral scutes like several members of its family, E. imbricata’s posterior scutes overlap in such a way as to give the rear margin of its carapace a serrated look, similar to the edge of a saw or a steak knife.

The turtle’s carapace has been known to reach almost 3 feet in length. The Hawksbill Sea Turtle appears to frequently employ its sturdy shell to insert its body into tight spaces in reefs.

Crawling with an alternating gait, Hawksbill turtle tracks left in the sand are asymmetrical. In contrast, the Green sea turtle and the Leatherback turtle have a more symmetrical gait.

Due to its consumption of venomous cnidarians, Hawksbill Sea Turtle flesh can become toxic. The Hawksbill sea turtle has been shown to be bio-fluorescent and is the first reptile recorded with this characteristic.

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