By Jennifer Bengele

Green Sea Turtle Taxonomy

Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Testudines Family Cheloniidae Genus Chelonia species mydas
(www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/green)

Physical Description
Green sea turtles have light colored skin tinted green from a diet comprised entirely of algae and sea grass. They have a shell which varies in color from black to yellow on top called a carapace which is divided into sections called scutes. The hard tissue that forms on the bottom of the shell covering their bellies is called a plastron. Green sea turtles are sexually dimorphic since the males have longer, thicker tails than the females (www.hsus.org).

Green Sea Turtle Stats

Length: 3 - 4 feet average Weight: 300-350 pound average Lifespan: between 40 and 100 years or even more Reproduction age: 20-30 years Gestation: 7-10 weeks Number of offspring: about 100 eggs

Nesting of the Green Turtle

Female green turtles travel to shore and lay their eggs in the sand on warm beaches. These nesting grounds are called rookeries. The temperature of the sand determines the gender of the hatchlings. Warm temperatures produce females and cooler temperatures result in males. Out of the 100 or so eggs laid, only 1 or 2 of the hatchlings will make it to adulthood (http://library.thinkquest.org).

Biome Habitat
Green Sea Turtles are found in the tropical and temperate regions of ocean throughout the world. Therefore, they play a role in the food web of the marine biome. Females will leave the water to lay their eggs on beaches found in tropical places such as Hawaii and Florida. Males remain in the ocean their entire lives (www.marinebio.com).

Range of Green Turtle Habitat

The Niche of the Green Sea Turtle

Green sea turtles, unlike their relatives, are exclusively herbivorous as adults, favoring sea grass and algae. This is very important to maintaining sea grass beds. As juveniles, green turtles also consume animal material including sponges, jellyfish, snails, worms, and mollusks. Turtle eggs are often preyed upon by raccoons, ants, & crabs. Hatchlings are eaten by sea birds and crabs, and occasionally, an adult turtle will be consumed by a shark. (www.earlham.edu)

Niche (Cont.)
The debris from hatched eggs enriches the sand with much needed nutrients for dune plants which strengthens the beach ecosystem (www.adoptaseaturtle.org). Green sea turtles are migratory animals, and, as the fastest of the sea turtles, may travel up to 300 miles in just 10 days (http://www.hsus.org). Scientists believe that females use light to find their way to beaches for nesting. In addition, the earths magnetic field has been shown to play a role in aiding the turtles in their migration routes to and from their feeding and breeding grounds.

Symbiotic Relationships
Mutualism Algae-eating cleaner fish on reefs, such as damselfish and angelfish (www.sailhawaii.com) Parasitism

(http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublications.com) Cardiovascular flukes Leeches on skin surface Virus that causes tumors

Example of Mutualism

Why Green Turtles are Endangered?

A viral infection which causes fibropapilloma tumors

Consumption of garbage, especially plastics, dumped in the ocean

Harvesting of turtle eggs which are considered a

delicacy Accidental entrapment in fishing gear, such as nets Habitat destruction Hunting for turtle meat under plastron Increased human activity at beaches

 Human consumption of eggs, skin, meat,

Value to Humans

and calipee which is the cartilage cut from the plastron (www.turtles.org) Shells for decorations such as jewelry Some retailers in the Carribean even sell whole stuffed turtles for profit Breeding grounds (beaches) are desirable to humans

Conservation Measures
Education programs Using TEDs in commercial fishing nets Reintroduction programs Legislation
CITES

US Endangered

Species Act

A Few Things We Can Do

Avoid beach activities during the nesting

season Dispose of garbage responsibly Pick up litter from others Report poachers to authorities Do not plant trees, especially non-native species, in beach areas Dont buy turtle products

Optimum Aquarium Conditions

A large tank (about 200,000 gallons of salt

water) A reef either real or manmade Appropriate diet based on mostly vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, brussel sprouts, and squid

Other Interesting Facts

Nearsighted while on land
Excellent sense of smell Use the earths magnetic field for navigation Unable to pull head into carapace Evolved from land turtles

Literature Cited
http://library.thinkquest.org http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublications.com www.adoptaseaturtle.org www.earlham.edu www.hsus.org www.marinebio.com www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/green www.sailhawaii.com www.turtles.com