Biodiversity & Conservation

Kemp's Ridley turtle - Lepidochelys kempii - General information

Kemp's Ridley turtle

Do you have an image for this species? upload it here

Distribution map

Lepidochelys kempii recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

Why do the maps differ?

Sightings Have you seen Lepidochelys kempii?
If so please submit your record.

  • Berne
  • CITES
  • EC_Habitats
  • WC_Act_1981

General information

Key Icon Researched by: Rebecca Harris Text page icon Refereed by:

Taxonomy icon Taxonomy

Phylum Chordata Sea squirts, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals
Class Reptilia Reptiles, e.g. turtles and crocodiles
Map icon Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland Records from south and west coasts of England and Wales, northern Scotland and western Ireland.
Habitat information icon Habitat information Generally prefer shallow, inshore waters less than 60 meters deep.
Text page icon Description The Kemp's Ridley is the smallest of the sea turtles, with the carapace (shell) rarely exceeding 74 cm long. The carapace of adult Kemp's Ridley is broad and light gray-olive in color. Head is large with strongly ridged and powerful jaws. The carapace usually has five pairs of scales (costal scutes).

This review can be cited as follows:

Rebecca Harris 2007. Lepidochelys kempii. Kemp's Ridley turtle. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 31/07/2010]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesfullreview.php?speciesID=3645>