is this a Hawksbill or green turtle

[shernee.low]

hi, i snap a picture at a perhentian dive site.
i not sure the sea turtle is hawksbill or green turtle
i have done the research on the morphology of the hawksbill and green tutle
it look like a green turtle to me but the DM told is a hawksbill.

Hawksbill SeaTurtle - ScubaBoard Gallery

anyone can advice.

tq

shernee

 

[Paco]

Looks like a hawksbill to me as well because of the beak.

 

[CuracaoJ]

If I had to guess I'd agree with the you that its a Green. The easiest way I can tell the difference is that the green turtle has a smoother edged shell, while the hawksbill's shell has a scalloped or serrated appearance. This is most prominent on the back of the shell (not shown in the pic). Some people can tell a difference in the point of the mouth that comes down, but frankly I can never tell from looking at that.

 

[beautybelow]

It's a hawksbill. Green turtles only have two "scales" between their eyes.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Difficult to see in your picture, but there is serrating on the shell skirt. Also, the "plates" on the head are the other tell. This is a hawksbill. They are at maturity, not as big as a green.
DivemasterDennis scuba snobs.com

 

[PhuketPaul]

Definitely a Hawksbill, with this angle it is difficult to see the exact shape of the beak, but the scales on the forehead give it away

Hawksbill has 2 pairs of scales between the eyes: Hawksbill

Green Turtle just 1 pair of scales between the eyes: Green Turtle

The shells are also differnt with the hawksbill scutes overlaping and the green turtle's lying flush, but again not easy to see in this picture

Paul

 

[shernee.low]

hi all.
thank for the advise. i have confirmed with 1 of the instrustor station at the dive site.
he confirmed is a hawksbill..