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Loggerhead turtle
Caretta - Rafinesque, 1841

Pronunciation: kar-ETT-ah
Etymology: 'tortoise shell'.

Taxonomic notes:

Notes:
Statistics: Reproductive modes:
Oviparous - 1 out of 1 Australian species

Size range:
Smallest Australian species: loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) at 130 cm
 Longest Australian species: loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) at up to 130 cm
Number of Australian species: 1
 
loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

Public domain image 		loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) distribution range map Caretta caretta
Loggerhead turtle
Year described
(Linnaeus 1758)
Description
Dark brown or reddish-brown above, sometimes irregularly speckled with darker brown. Top of head dark brown, becoming pale on the sides with irregular darker blotches. White, cream or yellowish below. Hatchlings rich reddish brown above, dark blackish-brown below. The head of old adults is large and massive. The shell is somewhat elongate and more or less heart-shaped. Five, rarely six, costal shields on each side. Carapace scutes not overlapping.
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