Leatherback Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea

Size (cm) and body mass (kg):

N.B. All figures are FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) unless otherwise stated.

Normal variation in Straight Carapace Length for mature females:

124.0 - 256.5 n=669 (n = number in sample)

131.6 is the mean length; n= 669

World variation: figures, unless stated, are for mature females

Mexico (Mexiquillo)               129.0-163.0, mean = 145.8, n=85
Costa Rica (Atlantic Coast)       134.6-172.7, mean = 152.1, n=76
Costa Rica (Pacific Coast)        128.0-151.0, mean = 141.0, n=18
Puerto Rico                       153.0-160.0, mean = ?      n=2
Trinidad                          135.0-185.0, mean = 156.5, n=20
Colombia                          140.0-170.0, mean = 155.6, n=7
Guyana                            152.5-162.5, mean = 150.8, n=3
Surinam                           143.3-164.5, mean = 153.8, n=16
Sri Lanka                         147.0-165.0, mean = 155.9, n=4
Australia (Queensland)            150.5-174.5, mean = 162.4, n=9

Overall body mass in Kg:

World variation:

Costa Rica                 258-506
Surinam                    302-425
Senegal                    200-250
India                      272-365
Sri Lanka                  301-448

The largest ever recorded leatherback turtle was over 200cm long and weighed 917.7 kg. It was found dead on a beach in Wales in 1988 and is now in the Welsh Museum in Cardiff.

The mass of an average sized leatherback turtle is comparable to a Citroen 2CV!