Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 70-71

Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) — Visitor.

Chelonia olivacea Eschscholtz, 1829a: 3–4 , pl. 3. Type material: None designated; two syntypes originally at MZT and transferred to ZMMU apparently lost, according to Flores-Villela et al. (2016: 161); one of the syntypic figures (pl. 3) is reproduced in Flores-Villela et al. (2016: 161). Type locality: “[d]as Vaterland ist das chinesische Meer … in der Bai von Manilla … bei Sumatra” (= Chinese Sea, Manilay Bay Philippines, and Sumatra, Indonesia).

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

( Figures 8D )

Singapore records.

Chelonia olivacea — Jan, 1857: 56.

Lepidochelys olivacea — J.Y. Ng et al., 2019: 65–66 (East Coast Park).—TTWG, 2021: 97 .

“Olive Ridley turtles”—Van Miriah, 2002: Local.

Remarks. Lepidochelys olivacea occupies tropical waters throughout the globe, and is listed by TTWG (2021) as foraging in Singapore and nesting in Malaysia. The first record of L. olivacea from Singapore comes from Jan (1857) who reported a specimen from Singapore deposited at MSNM. Information and the whereabouts of the specimen is unknown and we found no other publications that reference Jan’s record. The RMNH also contains a specimen from Singapore (RMNH.RENA.37880) that lacks any data. For 161 years ( Table 2 ), no other records of L. olivacea from Singapore were made until a carcass of one was found at ECP on 25 August 2018 (Ng et al. 2019). The carapace of the turtle had a crack suggesting it was wounded by a boat (Ng et al. 2019). Before this, turtles confiscated from illegal traders by AVA that included C. caretta , C. mydas , E. imbricata , and L. olivacea were released by Underwater World Singapore at Siloso Beach on 6 June 2002 (Van Miriah 2002), but we do not consider this as a valid record of L. olivacea . As L. olivacea nests in Malaysia (Moll 1976), it is likely that it forages or transits through Singapore.

Occurrence. Visitor. Rare.

Singapore conservation status. Not Evaluated.

Conservation priority. Lowest.

IUCN conservation status. Vulnerable [2008].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. No specimens.

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): RMNH.

Singapore localities. East Coast Park*.

Figures

FIGURE 8. A) Caretta caretta, B) Chelonia mydas, C) Eretmochelys imbricata, D) Lepidochelys olivacea, E) Dermochelys coriacea, F) Dermochelys coriacea, G) Trachemys scripta, and H) Batagur borneoensis. Photographs by: Halvard Aas Midtun [A], Marcus A.H. Chua [B], Karenne Tun [C], Ashesh Rathor [D], Tan Heok Hui [E], Alastair Rae [F], Holly Siow [G], and Kelvin K.P. Lim [H].