Some Floridian Turtle

[Ruu]

wow, those are really nice pics.

archman, a challenge: is that a hawksbill, a green, or a ridley turtle?

(my answer: hawskbill)

Here's another challenge... In my first post, I refer to said turtle as "he", quite possibly incorrectly. Can anyone identify whether said carapaced entity is a male or a female? I have additional photos if another angle might give more perspective on this important question.

Dave

 

[Dee]

I'm pretty sure you need a good picture of the tail to tell the sex. I *think* it's short, stubby tail is a female, longer skinnier tail is a male.

 

[justleesa]

I'm pretty sure you need a good picture of the tail to tell the sex. I *think* it's short, stubby tail is a female, longer skinnier tail is a male.

Our boat captain always says "Don't touch the turtles and especially don't pull HIS tail"

 

[H2Andy]

how could i pass this up?

The turtle lives 'twix fixed plates
that manage to conceal its sex.
I think it clever of the turtle
in such a fix to be so fertile.

--Ogden Nash

sharks i can tell apart; manatees i can tell apart; stingrays, i can tell apart. turtles? not yet

justleesa: maybe it's because in Spanish (my native language) turtles are female, but i call all turtles "she".
go figure.

 

[Ruu]

I'm pretty sure you need a good picture of the tail to tell the sex. I *think* it's short, stubby tail is a female, longer skinnier tail is a male.

Well, normally my photographic subjects are quite unafraid to present their rears to my camera (they seem to positively revel in it, in fact), but this particular half-shelled glory-seeker appears to be front or side facing for every single one of the 20+ shots that I took.

Ah well - here's a picture of an entire shoal of fish single-mindedly trying to hide from the camera. Maybe we can tell their sex instead.

Dave

 

[H2Andy]

"Well, normally my photographic subjects are quite unafraid to present their rears to my camera (they seem to positively revel in it, in fact)"

:rofl:

mine too... whatcha gonna do?

 

[Ruu]

mine too... whatcha gonna do?[/QUOTE]

Shopping list:

1 x frozen salmon.
1 x lead weight.
1 x tube of waterproof crazy glue.

Dave

 

[justleesa]

justleesa: maybe it's because in Spanish (my native language) turtles are female, but i call all turtles "she".
go figure.

Opps! I forgot to add that as an after thought the captain always adds "because it's not HIS tail" and that if you can really see it, it's a he turtle.

 

[archman]

Thanks for the link Andy, I love sea turtles more than algae... barely.

The photos are definitive hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), so you're right on. Hawksbills are the most common species on tropical reefs, and also the smallest. It's hard to tell the size from the photos, but I'd be wary of it being sexually mature. And without maturity, you can't determine if it's boy or girl unless you stick a scope up its cloaca. Some people like this sort of challenge, yuk.

Hawksbills are easy to ID if you look at the plates. They overlap (hence the imbricata part of the name). The edges along the carapace are also jagged, not flush like you get on other turtles. Hawksbills are inedible, but are the true source of tortoiseshell jewelry. This makes them vulnerable to exploitation.

I could go on and on about sea turtles forever.

 

[H2Andy]

:fruit: