Reptiles of North Carolina
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NC Biodiversity Project
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ALLIGATORIDAE
ANGUIDAE
ANOLIDAE
CHELONIIDAE
CHELYDRIDAE
COLUBRIDAE
DERMOCHELYIDAE
ELAPIDAE
EMYDIDAE
GEKKONIDAE
KINOSTERNIDAE
MISCELLANEOUS
PHRYNOSOMATIDAE
SCINCIDAE
TEIIDAE
TRIONYCHIDAE
VIPERIDAE
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Cheloniidae Members:
Caretta caretta
Chelonia mydas
Eretmochelys imbricata
Lepidochelys kempii
NC
Records
Eretmochelys imbricata
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle
No image for this species.
Taxonomy
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Testudines
Family:
Cheloniidae
Taxonomic Comments:
Eretmochelys
is a monotypic genus (SSAR, 2016), occurring in tropical oceans around the world
Species Comments:
Two subspecies are currently recognized (SSAR, 2016), with only the Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtle (
E. i. imbricata
) occurring in our area
Identification
Basis for Records:
A good-quality photograph of the head or shell is sufficient to identify this species
Field Marks:
Famous for its "tortoiseshell" pattern on its scutes, this is a medium-sized sea turtle with an amber-colored carapace, streaked with red, yellow, brown, and black (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). The beak is hawk-like.
Morphological Features:
The scutes on the carapace overlap and there are four pairs of pleural scutes (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). There are two pairs of prefrontal scutes on the head and the lower jaw is smooth or only weakly serrated.
Technical Reference:
Palmer and Braswell (1995); Ernst and Lovich (2009)
Field Guide Descriptions:
Beane et al. (2010); Powell et al. (2016)
Online Photos:
Google
iNaturalist
GBIF
Observation Methods:
Almost all of our observations were made from boats sailing in offshore waters
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution Comments:
Mainly observed offshore in North Carolina
Distribution Reference:
Palmer and Braswell (1995); NCMNS Herpetology Collection Database (accessed 2023-01)
County Map:
Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Key Habitat Requirements
Habitat:
This is tropical species that is rarely seen in North Carolina. Observations of this species are typically made in the ocean offshore of our beaches, although one observation exists from the Pamlico Sound (Kings Point, Buxton) and two nests were recorded on our beaches in 2015 (Siceloff, 2015).
Biotic Relationships:
This species is omnivorous, feeding on a large number of marine invertebrates, fish, algae, and sea grass (Ernst and Lovich, 2009). Sponges are a major part of their diet, particularly where there are reefs or hard bottom habitats. Hatchlings may feed largely on sargassum (Ernst and Lovich).
Eggs and hatchlings are heavily preyed upon by ghost crabs, seabirds, raccoons and other carnivorous mammals. Once they reach the sea, fish and squids prey upon the hatchlings that make it that far. Adults and juveniles are eaten by sharks and other large fish.
Life History and Autecology
Breeding and Courtship:
This species was observed nesting in North Carolina in 2015, when two nests were found on Hatteras Island, possibly laid by the same female (Finn et al., 2016). Mating usually takes place offshore from the nesting beaches so at least some reproductive activity may now be taking place in our waters.
Reproductive Mode:
Most nests are dug in the dune zone, but may occasionally be placed in the vegetation bordering the beach (Ernst and Lovich, 2009). Clutches average 140 eggs (range 26-250). As in most turtles, sex determination depends on the temperature within the nest.
Aquatic Life History:
Juvenile development may take place well offshore, on floating mats of sargassum.
General Ecology
Adverse Environmental Impacts
Habitat Loss:
In areas where the diet consists mainly of sponges, deterioration of reefs and other hard-bottom habitats may be having a major impact on this species (Ernst and Lovich, 2009).
Effects of Pollution:
Heavy metals appear to be increasing in concentration in the organs of Hawksbills as well as other sea turtles (Ernst and Lovich, 2009). Plastic waste has also been found in the guts of this species, sometimes with fatal results.
Interactions with Humans:
This species has been infamously over-harvested for the sake of its colorful scutes, known as tortoiseshell.
Status in North Carolina
NHP State Rank:
SAB,SUN
Global Rank:
G3
Status in North Carolina:
E
Global Status:
E
Environmental Threats:
Global warming may be having a number of impacts to this species, from destruction of the coral reef communities that are main foraging areas for this species, to loss of males due to warming temperatures in the nests.
Status Comments:
Currently, this species is regarded as a vagrant in our area. However, if it becomes established as a breeding species in North Carolina, it should be ranked as S1 and regarded as one of our rarest and most imperiled species.
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