Turtle | Bastard

: In 1880, it was formally named Lepidochelys kempii after Richard Kemp, who sent the first specimens to Harvard for study.

: The olive ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ) is also sometimes referred to as a "bastard turtle" in other languages, such as the German Oliv-Bastardschildkröte . Cultural Slurs and Meanings bastard turtle

: For a long time, no one could find where these turtles nested, which fueled the theory that they were sterile hybrids that didn't reproduce. : In 1880, it was formally named Lepidochelys

In different cultural contexts, "turtle" and "bastard" combined take on more derogatory meanings: : In 1880

While it is now recognized as its own distinct and critically endangered species, the nickname persisted for decades.