The Leatherback sea Turtle

One of the documented appearances of leatherback Sea turtle mermen

Merfolk generalities

Leatherbacks are a rare sight among merfolk and much of their lives remain a secret. These turtles seldomly settle down, instead preferring to roam the open seas. Though as alway, exceptions exist.

This variety tend to be soft spoken and even tempered. But if provoked can become quite evil-tempered and aggressive. Similar to other sea turtles they have also been known to shed crocodile tears. Beware of making the same mistakes as many other merfolk in thinking this variety is all it seems on the surface.

They have great endurance and prefer the open oceans. As with many merfolk of this variety they possess the turtle's body an a flexible humanoid torso extending from where the shells front opening. Their shelled bodies can be quite impressive given they can become up to 2 m (6.5 feet) long, not including their torso.

Although their shell might look encumbering they may produce startling bursts of speed and can ram or pin whoever draws their eire.

A special quirk of the leatherback mermen are the soft spines that line their mouth's insides. Though this feature is mainly to keep their main diet of jellyfish from escaping once they've been swallowed, it is said that it makes fore intense blowjobs!

Sea Turtle Characteristics In detail

A leatherback turtle sea creature specimen as compared to a human diver.

Leatherback Turrtles are mostly black in colour with a smattering of white and are among the largest turtle species. Unlike other Turtles their shells are semi flexible and have a thick fatty layer beneath a waxy layer of leathery skin. On their caprice are seven ridges called keels that help it swim easily through water.

Surprisingly these sea turtles are warmblooded and heat their bodies by a combination of.

• collected the suns heat through their dark colouring
• good heat insulation from their oily carapace
• strong muscles which generate heat when active
• a heat exchange system using the warm blood coming form the heart to heat the cold blood entering the body from their extremities

This allows leatherbacks to swim in colder waters without becoming cold stunned. It is also uniquely adapted to preform deep dives the can reach the very wealths of the seas Twilight zones bordering the Midnight Zone which is 1km below the ocean surface.

Diet & Food Chain

A leatherback sea turtle's mouth and oesophagus are lined with soft, fleshy spikes to keep slippery pray from sliding out once swallowed.

Leatherbacks have a delicate jaw so their diets mostly consist of Jellyfish and will hunt at night when the Jelly fish swim closer to the waters surface. Possessing a developed an immunity even to the most deadliest stings such as the lethal boxfish, they've also adapted to have their mouths and throats lined with soft, fleshy spines which stop the slippery jellyfish from getting away and will on occasion also eat squid or other soft bodied creatures.

As adults few creatures hunt them, in spite of their soft shell, possibly due to their large size. However, Orcas, Great White Sharks and Tiger Shark occasionally attempt to make a snack if them, upon which Letterheads can become aggressive. Even after chasing off their tormentor, their mood will remain foul and these usually peaceful creatures may even **** other nearby creatures to vent their anger.

Leatherback Sea Turtle sea-creatures hunting purple jellyfish