5 5. ERETMOCHELYS 



These turtles are found in the tropical seas. The specific 

 differences among them are as yet but little known. 



229. Eretmochelys squamosa (Girard) 

 Pacific Tortoise-shell Turtle 



Caretta squamosa Girard, U. S. Explor. Exped., Herpetol., 1858, p. 442, 



pi. 30, figs. 1-7 (type locality, Sulu Seas and Indian Ocean). 

 Caretta imbrkata Van Denburch, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 2, Vol. 5, 



189s, p. 83. 

 Eretmochelys squamata Townsend, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. 



XXXV, 1916, p. 445. 

 Eretmochelys squamosa Stejneger & Barbour, Check List N. Amer. 



Amph. Rept., 1917, p. 122; Van Denburgh & Slevin, Proc. Cal. 



Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, p. 53; Nelson, Mem. Nat. Acad. 



Sci., Vol. XVI, 1921, p. 114. 



Descr'iption. — Forelimbs long, paddle-shaped, with two 

 claws. Head covered above with large plates of which four 

 occupy the prefrontal region 5 frontal rather small; inter- 

 parietal largest. Snout in profile curving up and back from 

 the point of the beak which is the most anterior part of head. 

 Horny plates of shell thick, and imbricate; vertebrals five, 

 costals four, marginals 12 on each side and a nuchal. A 

 series of plates between marginals and large plastral plates. 



The general color is yellowish or brownish. The horny 

 plates of the shell are beautifully mottled and clouded with 

 yellow and brown. The plastron is light yellow. 



The usual length of carapace is one and one-half or two 

 feet, but in very large specimens may be nearly three feet. 



Distribution. — So far as I can learn the Pacific Tortoise- 

 shell or Hawksbill Turtle has been taken, within the limits 

 of the present work, only near San Jose del Cabo. Its range 

 doubtless extends considerably to the north of Cabo San 

 Lucas both in the Gulf of California and along the west 

 side of the peninsula of Lower California. 



