Photo of Loggerhead Sea Turtle
(ventral view) courtesy of John White

• This is the largest living hard-shelled turtle (Leatherbacks are larger, but soft-shelled).
• Five or more costal scutes on each side of the heart-shaped carapace, or top shell.
• The first costal scute touches the nuchal scute.
• The elongated carapace is reddish brown often tinged with olive, and scutes may also have a yellow border.
• The large scutes on the large head follow this color pattern also.
• The rear border of the carapace is serrated in all but the largest specimens.
• Carapace often encrusted with barnacles.
• The plastron (bottom shell) is cream to yellow.
• Upper surface of neck and flippers are reddish brown, while undersurfaces are cream to yellow.
• Three enlarged bridge scutes, which do not have pores.