Pacific Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata bissa
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- E. i. bissa – Pacific Ocean – Stock photo
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Eretmochelys i. bissa occurs in the Pacific Ocean along the California Coast.
LEGAL STATUS: Eretmochelys i. bissa is listed as Endangered throughout its entire range under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Eretmochelys imbricata bissa (Ruppell 1835)
Genus: Eretmochelys, Greek – eretmo = oar + chelys = turtle — ref. to forelimb shape
Species: imbricata, Latin = overlapping — prob. ref. scute pattern
Subspecies: bissa, Latin – bis = double, twice + sa = suffix – ref. concept of bissa as second species of Caretta
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962