Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas

Green Sea TurtleCheloniamydas By: AleshiaMiklas

Summary The green sea turtle is one of the largest and most widespread of all the marine turtles. These marine animals inhabit tropical and subtropical waters. Green sea turtles have an oval shell that is olive to brown and grey to black. So where do they get their name from? The green color of the fat and connective tissues of this species. When it comes to what these creatures eat they are herbivores, meaning they eat plants. Green sea turtles can grow to lengths of 80-150 cm and weigh 65-136.2 kg. The male turtle will be smaller than the female though. That is some common knowledge on the green sea turtle.

Anatomy • Green sea turtles have an oval carapace or shell that is olive to brown, grey and black with bold streaks and blotches. • The plastron, or under shell is pale yellow or orange. • They have a small and blunt head with a serrated jaw. • Their body is nearly oval and a beaked head on the end of a short neck. • Their arms are paddle-like flippers. On each flipper there is one visible claw.

Physiology The physiology of an animal is the functions of their body parts. The physiology of green sea turtles would include: - Their carapace, or shell, is used for protection. - Their fins are adapted for swimming and pulling themselves through sand - The males used their claw on the front flipper to grip onto the female during mating.

Taxonomy • Common name: Green sea Turtle • Scientific name: Cheloniamydas • Kingdom: Animalia • Phylum: Chordata- The green sea turtle belongs to this phylum because it is the most advanced and most chordates have backbones, which this animal has. • Class: Reptilia- Green sea turtles belong to this class because marine reptiles are ectothermic, breath air with lungs, have scales, adb are equipped with special glands to maintain salt balance. Which this animal has. • Order: Testudinata • Family: Cheloniidae • Genus: Chelonia

Ecology • Green sea turtles move across 3 types of habitats depending on their life stage: - Newly emerged hatchlings live in the open ocean. They are in danger to crabs, small marine mammals and shorebirds. - Mature adult green sea turtles live in shallow, coastal waters with lush sea grass beds. They are in danger of humans and large sharks.

Reproduction Green sea turtles reproduce by first mating. They mate by first a male courts a female turtle several weeks before the nesting season. Two or more males may court a single female. Then the male uses his enlarged claw on his front flippers to grasp onto the female’s shell during mating. When it comes to the actual reproduction the female pulls herself out of the water and up the beach to dig a pit. She lays her clutch of approx. 100 eggs and covers them. Then goes back to sea, leaving her young to fend for themselves.

Relationship with Humans • There are several reasons why green sea turtles are important to humans: - For food - People use their eggs for food also. - They also use their shells for decorative ornamental material, such as in combs and brushes.

Bibliography • http://www.arkive.org/green-turtle/chelonia-mydas/ • http://lumpysoceanlife.blogspot.com/2008/01/green-sea-turtles-photos.html • http://www.divephotoguide.com/user/pixelpame/gallery/green_sea_turtles/photo/2167/ • http://www.mauisnorkeling.com/Whales&Turtles.html • http://members.shaw.ca/the.trainman/remember-when/page-14.html • http://litscapeart.com/Artist/036/Reinhard_Dirscherl/Green_Sea_Turtle_Eggs_in_a_Nest_on_a_Borneo_Beach_Chelonia_Mydas_Pacific_Ocean.html

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Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas