LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPII Meaning and
Definition
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Lepidochelys Kempii, commonly known as the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, is a species of small sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. Named after Richard M. Kemp, a fisherman who first helped discover this species, it is one of the rarest and most endangered sea turtles in the world.
The Kemp's ridley sea turtle is characterized by its small size, with adults typically measuring around 23 to 28 inches in length and weighing between 80 and 100 pounds. They have a heart-shaped carapace, or shell, that is usually olive gray in color, while their flippers appear as a pale greenish color with some dark streaks.
These turtles are primarily found in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic Ocean, particularly along the coastlines of the United States and Mexico. They inhabit shallow coastal waters, bays, lagoons, and estuaries, preferring areas with sandy bottoms where they can easily dig their nests.
Kemp's ridley sea turtles are known for their unique nesting behavior, as they exhibit an arribada, a mass nesting event where numerous females simultaneously come ashore to lay their eggs. This synchronized nesting behavior, usually occurring in late spring or early summer, makes them particularly vulnerable to human disturbances and predation.
Due to extensive threats such as habitat destruction, entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, and poaching, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle population has drastically declined over the years. Conservation efforts, including protection of nesting sites and hatchling releases, have been implemented to help save this critically endangered species from extinction.
Common Misspellings for LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPII
- kepidochelys kempii
- pepidochelys kempii
- oepidochelys kempii
- lwpidochelys kempii
- lspidochelys kempii
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- lrpidochelys kempii
- l4pidochelys kempii
- l3pidochelys kempii
- leoidochelys kempii
- lelidochelys kempii
- le-idochelys kempii
- le0idochelys kempii
- lepudochelys kempii
- lepjdochelys kempii
- lepkdochelys kempii
- lepodochelys kempii
- lep9dochelys kempii
- lep8dochelys kempii
Etymology of LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPII
The word "Lepidochelys Kempii" is the scientific name given to a species of sea turtle commonly known as the Kemp's ridley turtle. The etymology of this scientific name can be broken down as follows:
1. Lepidochelys: This word is derived from the Greek words "lepis" meaning "scale" and "chelys" meaning "tortoise". It refers to the characteristic scaly shell that is synonymous with turtles.
2. Kempii: This part of the name is an eponym, named after Richard M. Kemp, a fisherman who played a significant role in documenting the species in the late 19th century. Kemp was the first person to describe and submit specimens of this particular sea turtle for scientific analysis.
