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- 1. Green Sea Turtle When people think of sea turtles, they often envision the green sea turtle. ...
- 2. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle This turtle is one of the smallest turtles in the world. ...
- 3. Hawksbill Turtle The hawksbill turtle is distinguished by its heart-shaped shell. ...
- 4. Leatherback Turtle ...
- 5. Loggerhead Turtle ...
- 6. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle ...
- 7. Flatback Sea Turtle
- Green Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Flatback Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime. ...
- Leatherback Sea Turtle. © Dreamstime.
What are the seven types of sea turtles?
The Seven Species of Sea Turtles
- Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas. The Green Sea Turtle is given its name because of the green colour of fat underneath its shell. ...
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is given its name because of its exceptionally large head. ...
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. ...
- Leatherback Sea Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea. ...
What are seven sea turtles species?
The Seven Species of Sea Turtles 1. Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas. The Green Sea Turtle is given its name because of the green colour of fat... 2. Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is given its name because of its exceptionally... 3. Hawksbill Sea Turtle, ...
Do turtles live in all 7 continents?
Turtles inhabit virtually every terrestrial, aquatic and marine habitat in the world that is warm enough to permit activity. Turtles are residents of every continent except Antarctica and of all the world’s temperate and tropical oceans. The 327 living turtle species exhibit remarkable diversity, and they have colonized most available habitats.
What is the best type of pet turtle?
Small Turtle Species
- Red-Eared Slider. The red-eared slider is one of the quarter turtles endemic to North America and is widely loved. ...
- Map Turtles. Map turtles are among the most popular small turtle breeds kept as pets. ...
- Painted Turtle. ...
- Musk Turtle. ...
- Mud Turtle. ...
- Diamondback Terrapin. ...
- Box Turtle. ...
Are there 7 types of sea turtles?
The Seven Species of Sea TurtlesGreen Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas. ... Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta. ... Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. ... Leatherback Sea Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea. ... Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys kempii. ... Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea.More items...
How many types of sea turtles are there?
Green sea turtleLeatherback sea turtleLoggerhead sea turtleLeatherback turtlesModern sea turtlesProtostegaSea turtles/Lower classifications
What are the 7 classifications of a turtle?
ClassificationDomainEukaryotaEukaryoteClassReptiliaReptileOverTestudinesTortoisesFamilyCheloniidaeSea TurtleGenusCheloniaGreen Turtle3 more rows
Which of the 7 species of sea turtle are listed as threatened?
In the Atlantic, the loggerhead sea turtle and green sea turtle are listed as threatened. The leatherback, hawksbill, and Kemp's Ridley sea turtle species are listed as endangered everywhere.
Do purple turtles exist?
'Purple Turtle', a cultivar developed at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, is a more compact and darker-flowered form of Selago villicaulis. It was developed through a process of focused selecting over a number of generations of seedlings raised in the garden from seed collected near Brenton-on-Sea.
What's the biggest sea turtle?
The leatherbackThe leatherback is the largest living sea turtle. Leatherback sea turtles can be distinguished from other species of sea turtle by its lack of a hard shell or scales. Instead, leatherbacks are covered with a firm, rubbery skin. You can find leatherback sea turtles as far north as Canada and the northern Pacific Ocean.
What is the smallest sea turtle?
Kemp's ridleyKemp's ridley is the smallest of all sea turtle species, reaching maturity at 58–70 cm (23–28 in) carapace length and weighing only 36–45 kg (79–99 lb).
Is there a turtle Emoji?
Turtle was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015.
What are the three types of turtle?
There are over 250 species of turtle, broken into three main groups: land turtles, aquatic turtles and marine turtles.
What are 5 interesting facts about turtles?
10 Tremendous Turtle FactsSand temperature is very important.Hawksbill turtles use their beaks to help extract their favorite prey.One sea turtle species nests during the day.Leatherback sea turtles have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs!More items...•
What turtles live in the ocean?
3. The ocean is home to seven turtle species: the leatherback, loggerhead, Olive ridley, hawksbill, flatback, green and Kemp's ridley. 4.
What are 5 interesting facts about sea turtles?
Top 10 facts about marine turtlesThere are seven species of marine turtle. ... Turtles don't have teeth. ... They're well 'ard. ... Their young lives are a mystery. ... They can be ginormous. ... It's survival of the fittest. ... They make some interesting noises. ... Sad but less salty.More items...
How many sea turtles are left in the wild 2022?
Recent estimates show us that there are nearly 6.5 million sea turtles left in the wild with very different numbers for each species, e.g. population estimates for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle range from 83,000 to possibly only 57,000 individuals left worldwide.
What is the smallest sea turtle?
Kemp's ridleyKemp's ridley is the smallest of all sea turtle species, reaching maturity at 58–70 cm (23–28 in) carapace length and weighing only 36–45 kg (79–99 lb).
What are 5 interesting facts about sea turtles?
10 Tremendous Turtle FactsGreen sea turtles are what they eat! ... Sea turtles lay their eggs in a nest they dig in the sand with their rear flippers. ... Sand temperature is very important. ... Hawksbill turtles use their beaks to help extract their favorite prey. ... One sea turtle species nests during the day.More items...•
What is the best type of sea turtle?
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Arguably the best-known sea turtle species, the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a large marine reptile that lives throughout subtropical and tropical waters.
What are the different types of sea turtles?
The seven existing species of sea turtles are the green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, flatback sea turtle, and leatherback sea turtle. All six of the sea turtle species present in US waters (loggerhead, green sea turtle, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, and leatherback) are listed as endangered and/or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The seventh sea turtle species is the Flatback, which exists in the waters of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Sea turtles can be separated into the categories of hard-shelled ( cheloniid) and leathery-shelled ( dermochelyid ). There is only one dermochelyid species which is the leatherback sea turtle.
What order are sea turtles in?
Taxonomy and evolution. Sea turtles, along with other turtles and tortoises, are part of the order Testudines. All species except the leatherback sea turtle are in the family Cheloniidae. The leatherback sea turtle is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae .
How do sea turtles age?
1) Male and female sea turtles age in the ocean and migrate to shallow coastal water. 2) Sea turtles mate in the water near offshore nesting sites. 3) The adult male sea turtles return to the feeding sites in the water. 4) Female sea turtles cycle between mating and nesting. 5) Female sea turtles lay their eggs.
How long do sea turtles stay underwater?
A foraging sea turtle may typically spend 5–40 minutes underwater while a sleeping sea turtle can remain underwater for 4–7 hours.
Why are sea turtles thriving?
Turtles are thriving across the United States as well, as there is less noise and pollution.
Where did sea turtles originate?
The origin of sea turtles goes back to the Late Jurassic (150 million years ago) with genera such as Plesiochelys, from Europe. In Africa, the first sea turtle is Angolachelys, from the Turonian of Angola.
Why do sea turtles have glands?
Like other marine reptiles, sea turtles rely on a specialized gland to rid the body of excess salt, because reptilian kidneys cannot produce urine with a higher ion concentration than sea water. All species of sea turtles have a lachrymal gland in the orbital cavity, capable of producing tears with a higher salt concentration than sea water.
How many types of sea turtles are there?
Although there are more than 300 different types of turtles on our planet, only 7 species can be classified as sea turtles. Here’s what you need to know about each species:
How Are Sea Turtles Species Classified?
All 7 species of sea turtles are part of the kingdom Animalia, the phylum Chordata, and the class Reptilia. This means that all sea turtles are reptiles, just like crocodiles, snakes, and lizards.
How big is a flatback sea turtle?
It’s a medium-sized turtle that’s usually no more than about 37 inches (94 cm) long and 220 lbs (100 kg) in weight. However, flatback sea turtle hatchlings tend to be larger than the hatchlings of other species when they first leave their eggs.
How far do green sea turtles travel?
Green sea turtles also have one of the longest migrations of any sea turtle species. Some are known to travel more than 1,600 mi (2,600 km) between their feeding and nesting areas. Most of these turtles seek out sandy beaches in warmer waters to breed. Additionally, many green sea turtles will venture back to the beach where they hatched from in order to lay their own eggs.
Why are sea turtles losing their habitat?
Habitat Loss – Sea turtles rely on sandy beaches for their nesting sites. The loss of sandy beaches to human development, particularly for waterfront properties, is a major issue for these marine reptiles.
Where do Kemp's Ridley sea turtles live?
Arguably the rarest sea turtle species, the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys kempii ) is a small marine reptile that lives only in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s primarily found in the Gulf of Mexico, though juveniles and vagrants have been spotted as far away as Malta, Ireland, and northern Newfoundland.
Where do flatback sea turtles live?
Also known as the Australian flatback sea turtle, the flatback sea turtle ( Natator depressus) is a sea-faring reptile that lives solely along the sandy beaches and coastal waters in and around Australia. The flatback actually has the smallest geographic range of any sea turtle species. There are only a handful of flatback nesting sites throughout Australasia.
Which sea turtles prefer clear water?
FUN FACT: The hawksbill turtle is considered to be the species of sea turtle that most likes to stay close to the coast and primarily tropical. It prefers particularly clear waters with rocky bottoms and abundant food.
How long do turtles live?
It is believed that in the wild they can live between 30 and 50 years.
What are the four species of turtles in Quintana Roo?
The state of Quintana Roo (particularly the northern zone) is the only region in the country where four species of turtles arrive: green (or white), hawksbill, loggerhead and leatherback.
What is the green turtle?
The Green Turtle is the only one of the 8 types of sea turtle that has been seen sunbathing out of the water. It is large in size; its shell is oval in shape and as the turtle ages, it becomes flatter.
Why is a green turtle called a turtle?
FUN FACT: It is called a Green Turtle because the fat of its body is greenish, however, the color of its body is variable.
Where do green turtles live?
The Green Turtle can be found in almost all oceans, where the temperature does not drop below 20°C. They do not love the cold! Males never leave the sea and females go out to nest on different beaches around the world.
Do leatherback turtles retract their fins?
Something that also stands out from its different shell is that, because of its shape, the leatherback turtle cannot retract its fins, and its tail and head only minimally. The t hick layer of skin that forms its ‘shell’ contains fat, making it a thermal insulator that allows it to stay for long periods in warm and even cold waters (unlike the other types of turtles we saw, which prefer warm tropical waters).
Overview
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley sea turtles. All six of the sea turtle species present in US waters (all of those listed above except the flatback) ar…
Description
For each of the seven types of sea turtles, females and males are the same size; there is no sexual dimorphism.
In general, sea turtles have a more fusiform body plan than their terrestrial or freshwater counterparts. This tapering at both ends reduces volume and means that sea turtles cannot retract their head and limbs into their shells for protection, unlike many other turtles and tortoise…
Taxonomy and evolution
Sea turtles, along with other turtles and tortoises, are part of the order Testudines. All species except the leatherback sea turtle are in the family Cheloniidae. The leatherback sea turtle is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae.
The origin of sea turtles goes back to the Late Jurassic (150 million years ago) with genera such as Plesiochelys, from Europe. In Africa, the first sea turtle is Angolachelys, from the Turonian of A…
Distribution and habitat
Sea turtles can be found in all oceans except for the polar regions. The flatback sea turtle is found solely on the northern coast of Australia. The Kemp's ridley sea turtle is found solely in the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast of the United States.
Sea turtles are generally found in the waters over continental shelves. During the first three to five years of life, sea turtles spend most of their time in the pelagic zone floating in seaweed mats. Gre…
Life cycle
It takes decades for sea turtles to reach sexual maturity. Mature sea turtles may migrate thousands of miles to reach breeding sites. After mating at sea, adult female sea turtles return to land to lay their eggs. Different species of sea turtles exhibit various levels of philopatry. In the extreme case, females return to the same beach where they hatched. This can take place every two to four yea…
Physiology
Sea turtles maintain an internal environment that is hypotonic to the ocean. To maintain hypotonicity they must excrete excess salt ions. Like other marine reptiles, sea turtles rely on a specialized gland to rid the body of excess salt, because reptilian kidneys cannot produce urine with a higher ion concentration than sea water. All species of sea turtles have a lachrymal gland in the orbital c…
Ecology
The loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, and hawksbill sea turtles are omnivorous their entire life. Omnivorous turtles may eat a wide variety of plant and animal life including decapods, seagrasses, seaweed, sponges, mollusks, cnidarians, Echinoderms, worms and fish. However, some species specialize on certain prey.
See also
• Cultural depictions of turtles
• Kélonia—sea turtle observatory in Réunion
• Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa