Relatives of modern leatherback turtles have existed in relatively the same form since the first true sea turtles evolved over 110 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. But probably more accurately derived from the lute's ribbed back which is in the form of a shell. The common names incorporating "lute" and "luth" compare the seven ridges that run the length of the animal's back to the seven strings on the musical instrument of the same name. Older names include "leathery turtle" and "trunk turtle". īoth the turtle's common and scientific names come from the leathery texture and appearance of its carapace ( Dermochelys coriacea literally translates to "Leathery Skin-turtle"). The subspecies were later labeled invalid synonyms of D. coriacea, with each given subspecies status as D. In 1884, the American naturalist Samuel Garman described the species as Sphargis coriacea schlegelii. In 1843, the zoologist Leopold Fitzinger put the genus in its own family, Dermochelyidae. The leatherback was then reclassified as Dermochelys coriacea. In 1816, French zoologist Henri Blainville coined the term Dermochelys. ĭomenico Agostino Vandelli named the species first in 1761 as Testudo coriacea after an animal captured at Ostia and donated to the University of Padua by Pope Clement XIII.
The genus, in turn, contains the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae. Taxonomy and evolution Taxonomy ĭermochelys coriacea is the only species in genus Dermochelys. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin, for which it is named. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. The leatherback sea turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non- crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 1.8 metres and weights of 500 kg. Dermochelys coricea Das, 1985 ( ex errore).Dermochelys coriacea schlegelli Caldwell, 1962 ( ex errore).Dermochelys coriacea schlegelii Carr, 1952.Dermochelys coriacea schlegeli Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 ( ex errore).Dendrochelys (Sphargis) coriacea Pierantoni, 1934.Dermochelys coriacea coriacea Gruvel, 1926.Dermochelydis tuberculata Alessandrini, 1838.Dermatochelys atlantica Fitzinger, 1835.Dermochelys atlantica Duméril & Bibron, 1835.
Chelyra coriacca Rafinesque, 1832 ( ex errore).Dermochelis atlantica LeSueur, 1829 ( nomen nudum).Testudo coriaceous Pennant, 1769 ( ex errore).
0 kommentar(er)
