Zoology.] NATURAL IllSToUY OF VICTORIA. [faptUia. 



Plate 101. 



SPHARGIS CORIACEA (Linn. sp.). 

 The Luth, or Leathery Turtle. 



[Genus SPHARGIS (Mbkbbm) = DERMATOCHELTS (Blain.) = CORIUDO (Flem.). 

 (Sub-kingd, Vertebrate. Class Reptilia. Order Chelonia. Sub-order Oiacopodcs. Fam. 

 Sphargidae.) 



Gen. Char. — Body covered with a thick, coriaceous skin, concealing the bones of the cara- 

 pace and sternum ; seven longitudinal ridges on the hack, tubercular in young, smooth in old 

 individuals. Paddles large ; without nails or claws ; head with very strong jaws, the upper with 

 three large, triangular notches in front. ( )rl>its very large ; eyelids opening vertically, one in front, 

 and one behind ; nostrils very small, approximate, on upper surface of nose. Cosmopolitan.] 



Description. — Form : Carapace sub-cordiform, acutely pointed behind, broad, 

 and with three inflected edj>-es in front, concavelv arched backwards, one over the 

 neck, and one over each fore paddle; greatest width over hind base of paddles two- 

 thirds of the length ; longitudinal profile slightly arched, most abruptly near the 

 front; transverse curvature nearly semicircular; longitudinal ridges angular, pro- 

 minent, with about 28 compressed tubercles, the space between the ridges deeply 

 concave ; surface smooth ; keels nearly equidistant, one along midline of back, the 

 outermost along lateral edges of carapace. Sternum flat, truncated in front, obtuse- 

 angled behind, without projections on surface. Head nearly as wide behind as long, 

 slightly convex above, moderately compressed and rounded in front; smooth, with- 

 out scales or plates, when adult; jaws very strong, upper one with three deep, 

 triangular notches defining two acutely angular, sharp lobes in front; lower jaw with 

 an upturned, angular point in front, fitting the median notch between the two lobes 

 of upper jaw. Anterior paddles very long, narrow, falcate; posterior paddles short, 

 broad, the two hinder fingers separately movable. Tail slightly compressed, the 

 point reaching a little beyond the end of carapace; whole skin smooth, except on 

 back of neck, which is tubercular from intersecting wrinkles. Color: Purplish- 

 black above, sternum and lower sides of paddles, and sides of neck and cheeks 

 marbled with pinkish- white, and reddish-white on front edge of anterior paddles. 

 Measurements: Length of carapace, 4 feet 5 inches; greatest width, 3 feet 2 inches; 

 depth, 1 foot ; length of head, 8 inches ; width, 1\ inches ; depth, 6^ inches ; 

 diameter of orbit, 2 inches; from anterior edge of orbit to nostril, 2 inches; length 

 of neck, 6 inches ; length of anterior paddle, 2 feet 3 inches ; greatest width, 9 

 inches; length of posterior paddle, 1 foot 1 inch; width, 8 inches; length of 

 sternum, 3 feet 2 inches ; width, 2 feet 4 inches ; tail, 4 inches. 



Reference. — = Testudo coriacea (Linn.) Syst. Nat. 1, p. 350 = S. mercurii 

 (Rondel.) Pise. Mar. p. 450 = T. Lyra, Donnd. Zool. Beitrage, v. 3, p. 2 = Spharyis 

 mercurialis (Merrem) Amphib. p. 19*= S. tubcrculata (Gravenhorst) = Dermato- 

 chclys porcata (Wagi.) Syst. Amphib. p. 133, t. 1, figs. 1-25 = Dermockclys 

 Atlantica (Leseur). 



The Sphargis differs from the other marine Clielonians, the 

 Chelonce, in the body not being covered with hard plates, but with 

 a very thick skin, smooth when adult, but covered with tubercular 



Vol. II.— Decade XL— b. 1 



