Skull of Hawksbill turtle
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Eretmochelys
Specimen Description
The skull is long and narrow. The length is approximately equal to twice the width. Skll have deep parital noches and the snout tapers to a point. The jaws are v shaped and narrow. The secondary palate is wll developed and the internal nares are situated in the anterior thired of the mouth. The two maxillary bones are separated by the vomer which extends anteriorly to articulate with the premaxillary bones.
About the animal
The Critically Endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) has been exploited for thousands of years as the sole source of commercial tortoiseshell. The beautiful carapace is generally streaked and marbled with amber, yellow or brown and often has a strongly serrated edge. The strongly hooked beak on the narrow head gives rise to the hawksbill turtle’s common name. Unlike other marine turtles, the scales (scutes) of the hawksbill turtle’s carapace are imbricate, or overlapping, hence the scientific name imbricate.
Reference:
http://www.arkive.org/hawksbill-turtle/eretmochelys-imbricata/
http://www.ivis.org/advances/wyneken/4.pdf?LA=1/