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designation of a neotype, the type locality in its entirety also should include any localities associated with the 
specimens in indicated works. 
Chelonia mydas, Sindaco and Jeremcenko 2008:77. 
Distribution.— Widely distributed in 
tropical to temperate waters of the Western 
Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, including 
the Mediterranean Sea. In the Mediterranean 
nesting sites occur in Turkey and Cyprus. 
Numerous non-nesting records along the 
Egyptian coast (Baha El Din 2006a) and at 
scattered localities in Libya. 
Libyan Records (Map 2): TRIPOLITA- 
NIA: “Along the coasts between Sirte and 
Misratah”: Hadoud and El Gomati 1996 in 
Hamza 2010. CYRENAICA: Butnan : 487: 
Hadoud and El Gomati 1996 in Hamza 2010; 
Laurent et al. 1997. 
Comments.— Libyan waters have been 
hypothesized to be important feeding grounds 
for both juveniles and adults over-wintering in 
the Mediterranean (Hamza 2010; van Dijk et 
al. 2014). Hazma (2010) suggested that nesting might be possible as suitable beaches are present. 
Although no evidence of nests or tracks has yet been found, juveniles have been found close to the 
beach at Ain al Ghazalah in Butnan. 
IUCN Threat Status.— Endangered A2bd. 
Family Dermochelyidae 
Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761:7, pi. 2) 
1761 Testudo coriacea Vandelli, Epistola de Holoturio, et Testudine coriacea ad Celeberrimum Carolum 
Linnaeum Equitem naturae curiosum. Dioscoridem II. Typographia Conzatti, Patavii [Padua]. 12 pp., 2 pis. 
Holotype. — Museo Zoologico, Universita degli Studi di Padova, no number (fide Fretey and Bour 
1980), “maris Tyrrheni oram in agro Laurentiano” [Tyrrhenian Sea coast at Laurentum], restricted to “Paler¬ 
mo” without co mm ent by Smith and Taylor (1950b). Fretey and Bour (1980) noted two possible specific sites 
that could have been intended and, therefore, generalized the type locality to “la cote romaine (Italie), Mer 
Tyrrhenienne, Mediterranee occidentale.” 
Dermochelys coriacea , Sindaco and Jeremcenko 2008:76. 
Distribution.— Widely distributed in tropical to colder waters of the Pacific, Indian, and 
Atlantic Oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea, although no regular nesting takes place in the 
Mediterranean. Several nearshore records from Mediterranean Sinai and Egypt west of the Nile 
Delta. There is a single reported Libyan record of a beached individual from Al Khowda Beach 
(Hamza et al. 2009). 
Libyan Records (Map 3): TRIPOLITANIA: Tripoli : 44: Hamza 2010. Sirte : 169: Hamza et 
al. 2009. “Sella”: Capra 1949. CYRENAICA: Benghazi : 356: Capra 1949. 
Map 2. Distribution of Chelonia mydas in Libya. 
