Reptiles of Indonesia - Acalyptophis Peronii, Amboina Box Turtle, Asian Forest Tortoise, Astrotia Stokesii, Bengal Monitor, Blue-Tongued Skink (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 69. Chapters: Acalyptophis peronii, Amboina box turtle, Asian forest tortoise, Astrotia stokesii, Bengal monitor, Blue-tongued skink, Burmese Python, Calloselasma, Cantor's giant softshell turtle, Ceram Mangrove monitor, Chrysopelea paradisi, Clouded Monitor, Cyrtodactylus marmoratus, Dendrelaphis caudolineatus, Dumeril's monitor, Elseya branderhorsti, Eutropis multifasciata, False gharial, Forsten's tortoise, Golden-spotted tree monitor, Hawksbill sea turtle, Hemiphyllodactylus typus, Javan spitting cobra, King cobra, Komodo dragon, Leatherback sea turtle, Malayemys, Malaysian giant turtle, Northern river terrapin, Painted terrapin, Peacock Monitor, Python curtus, Python reticulatus, Quince Monitor, Roti Island snake-necked turtle, Roughneck Monitor Lizard, Saltwater crocodile, Siamese crocodile, Spatula-toothed Snake, Sulawesi forest turtle, Tokay gecko, Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus, Tropidolaemus wagleri, Turquoise monitor, Varanus kordensis, Varanus lirungensis, Varanus macraei, Varanus salvadorii, Varanus timorensis, Water monitor. Excerpt: The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), sometimes called the lute turtle, is the largest of all living turtles (as well as the largest extant sea turtle) and is the fourth largest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell. Instead, its carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh. Dermochelys coriacea is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae. Leatherback turtles have the most hydrodynamic body design of any sea turtle, with a large, teardrop-shaped body. A large pair of front flippers power the turtles through the water. Like other sea turtles, the leatherback has flattened forelimbs adapted for swimming in the open ocean. Claws are absent from both pairs of flippers. The leatherback's flippers are the largest in proportion to its body among extant sea turtles. Leatherback's front flippers can grow up to 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in large specimens, the largest flippers (even in comparison to its body) of any sea turtle. Leatherback turtle covering her eggs, Turtle Beach, TobagoThe leatherback has several characteristics that distinguish it from other sea turtles. Its most notable feature is the lack of a bony carapace. Instead of scutes, it has thick, leathery skin with embedded minuscule osteoderms. Seven distinct ridges rise from the carapace, crossing from the anterior to posterior margin of the turtle's back. Leatherbacks are unique among reptiles in that their scales lack -keratin. The entire turtle's dorsal surface is colored dark grey to black, with a scattering of white blotches and spots. Demonstrating countershading, the turtle's underside is lightly colored. Instead of teeth, the leatherback turtle has points on the tomium of its upper lip, with backwards spines in its throat to help it swallow food and to stop their prey escaping once caught. The teeth are not used for mastication. Dermochely