The sponge-eater; a hooked beak, two pairs of scales between the eyes, and a serrated shell edge.
Shell to about 90 cm, with overlapping scutes that give the rear edge a serrated outline, a narrow head ending in a hooked beak, and two pairs of scales between the eyes. The shell pattern of amber, brown and black streaks is the source of the historical tortoiseshell trade and of the species’ collapse.
It feeds mainly on sponges, including species toxic to almost everything else, and on tunicates, anemones and jellyfish, wedging its head into crevices to reach them. A feeding turtle is far more approachable than a swimming one because its head is buried and it is committed. It is more closely tied to coral reef than the green turtle. Listed as critically endangered. Recorded from the surface to about 40 m.
Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.