| Diagnosis |
In adults, body is depressed and carapace is oval in dorsal view, its width about 88% of its length. Head small and blunt; one pair of elongated prefrontal scales between the orbits; tomium of lower jaw with a sharply serrated which loses its tip cusp with age. Cutting rim corresponds with strong ridges on the inner surface of the upper. Carapacial scutes: thin, smooth and flexible when removed. The dorsal side have 4 pairs of lateral scutes, the foremost not touching the precentral scute; 5 central scutes, low-keeled in
juveniles. In subadults and adults, it lacks a median keeand have 12 pairs of marginal scutes. On the underside, the scutes are smooth and thin with 4 pairs of inframarginal, 12 pairs of central plastral; one intergular and sometimes one interanal scute in shape. Each flipper has a single, visible claw. Color: On the upper side, varies from pale to very dark and from plain colour to brilliant combinations of yellow, brown and greenish tones, forming radiated stripes, or abundantly splattered with dark blotches. In juveniles, the scales of the head and upper sides of the flippers are fringed by a narrow, clear, yellowish margin which is usually lost with age. Underneath, the Atlantic forms are plain white, dirty white or yellowish white; the Pacific forms are a dark greybluish-green. Newborn hatchlings are dark brown or nearly black on the upper side; carapace and the rear edges of the flippers with a white margin. Underneath they are white. |
