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Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

Photo by SargonR
Published on Project Noah
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21.4762, -158.226

Field Notes

Description:

The Green Sea Turtle, AKA: Black Sea Turtle, Pacific Green Turtle, or Honu, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace. Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches.

Habitat:

Green Sea Turtle spotted at Makaha Beach, Oahu, Hawaii.

Notes:

This one is for educational purposes. This is a photo of a male Green Sea Turtle, or Honu. You can tell that he is a male because of his large tail (female tails are much smaller). Apparently this is because his reproductive organs are housed in the tail! Also, it is worth saying that spotting male turtles is much less common that spotting female ones... at least it has been for me.

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