Size
Largest living turtle, up to 2.7 metres in length and about 500 kilograms in weight.
![Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea Common name Spanish: Tinglar Photo by Claudia Lombard, USFWS Location, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, US Virgin Islands More information: [1]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fscccpsqeuaphhrqmepmb.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Fimages-public%2Fclean%2Fcontent%2Fce079739-416f-4696-b477-a5113ebfaec1%2Fmaster.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
TurtlesVulnerable
Leatherback Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest living turtle, notable for its flexible, leather-like carapace rather than a bony shell.
lute turtle
Species Guide
What to know about leatherback turtles
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths up to 2.7 metres and weights up to 500 kilograms. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and the family Dermochelyidae. Leatherbacks differ from other modern sea turtles by lacking a bony shell; their carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin. The species has a global range with multiple distinct subpopulations.
The species is assessed as vulnerable overall, with some distinct subpopulations listed as critically endangered.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Ari Atoll, Bahias de Huatulco, Bayahibe and Dominicus and countries such as Maldives, Mexico, Mozambique for divers building trips around leatherback turtles.
Identification
