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Flatback turtle

flatback turtle (Natator depressus)
Bowen, Queensland
Photo © Stephen Zozaya
Natator depressus - (Garman, 1880)
Pronunciation  na-TAY-tor   dep-PRESS-uss
Etymology  Natator: Latin for 'swimmer'.
depressus: 'flattened'.
Other names  Chelonia depressus 
 
Carapace length
Species avg: 100 cm
Reproduction
Oviparous
Clutch size
Average: 50
Description Distribution Natural history Conservation Further information More photos

Description

Grey or pale grey-green or olive above, the plates of the carapace covered by a thin, fleshy skin in adults. Creamy yellow below, the ventral colour extending on to the sides of the neck and face. Hatchlings olive-green, the margins of the dorsal scutes broadly outlined in black. Head moderate. Three postoculars. Shell broadly oval, more or less heart-shaped, with upturned lateral edges in adults, covered (in adults) by thin skin. Four costal shields on each side. Upper eyelid of small, irregular, subequal scales. Distal half of forelimb with rows of enlarged scales extending along phalanges separated by areas of small, irregular scales or wrinkled skin. One pair of prefrontal scales on head.

Similar species

Taxonomic notes

Moved from Chelonia to Natator in 1913.1

Notes and disclaimer
This information may not be complete. While all care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in this page, primary sources should always be consulted for definitive information. Animals have an endearing habit of disobeying the rules, so the information on this page should be interpreted with a degree of flexibility.
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This page may be cited as:
  Natator depressus at the Australian Reptile Online Database. Last updated 2015-10-28 07:23:14.
  Retrieved from http://arod.com.au/arod/?species=Natator+depressus on the 29th of March, 2024.
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