The carapace, or shell, of the leatherback sea turtle is much softer then other sea turtles and has a rubbery texture. Instead of being firm, it is actually some-what flexible. It does not contain scales like other sea turtles.  It is often speckled with white or yellow dots. It has 7 pronounced ridges running from the top of the shell, near its head, to the tail. 

The jaw is fragile and requires a soft diet despite 2 large cusps on the front. The eyes are small in comparison to its size. Their vision is relatively poor in low light areas and out of water. Their nose sucks water in and it is expelled through their mouth. Hatchlings use their sense of smell to sniff out shrimp and guide them to the water after hatching. Leatherbacks ears are not visible however they do have ears. They hear low frequency sounds best such as boats and waves. Leatherback sea turtles have a pink spot known as a " third eye" or "skylight"  on the tops of their heads that allow them to sense sunlight. This aids in helping them to determine the seasons based on the days length. 

The leatherback turtles flippers are most commonly known to be used for swimming. They are also used for foraging, mating, digging and covering nests. The front flippers are long  and smooth without any claws. On the average seven foot turtle, the front flipper span is roughly nine feet! The rear flippers are short and webbed.