Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Lepidochelys olivacea
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- L. olivacea – Photo by Gary Nafis
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- L. olivacea – Marin Co, CA – photo by Reuben Walder
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Lepidochelys olivacea occurs in the Pacific Ocean along the California Coast.
LEGAL STATUS: Lepidochelys olivacea is listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) as Endangered along Mexico’s Pacific Coast (breeding populations), and Threatened throughout the remainder of its entire range.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829)
Genus: Lepidochelys, Greek – lepido = scaled + chelys = turtle
Species: olivacea, Latin – olive = olive green + acea = having the nature or color of — prob. ref. color
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962