Leatherback turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
Dermochelys coriacea is the largest living sea turtle and is specialized for feeding on gelatinous zooplankton such as jellyfish and siphonophores.
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About this species
Species identity
Dermochelys coriacea is the largest living sea turtle and is specialized for feeding on gelatinous zooplankton such as jellyfish and siphonophores. Its streamlined body, strong front flippers, and flexible shell let it travel long distances and forage widely in productive oceanic waters.
Where it lives
Dermochelys coriacea is globally distributed and regularly migrates from tropical nesting areas into temperate and subpolar foraging grounds. In the North Atlantic it can enter Norwegian Current-connected waters when seasonal blooms of gelatinous prey provide feeding opportunities.
Role in the ecosystem
Leatherback turtle helps explain how marine food webs function through its ecological role, habitat use, and connection to broader ecosystem change.
Scientific reference
Citation
Explore and connect
Open the tertiary consumer view and compare this species with related marine life.






