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Sea Turtle
30.3794, -86.8622
Field Notes
Description:
Sea turtles, also known as marine turtles are turtles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic. Most species of sea turtle are endangered. Sea turtles, along with other turtles and tortoises, are part of the order Testudines. The seven living species of sea turtles are: flatback sea turtle, green sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle and olive ridley sea turtle. All species except the leatherback are in the family Cheloniidae. The leatherback belongs to the family Dermochelyidae and is its only member of that family. The species are primarily distinguished by their anatomy: the prefrontal scales on the head, the number of and shape of scutes on the carapace and the type of inframarginal scutes on the plastron. The leatherback is the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell; instead, it bears a mosaic of bony plates beneath its leathery skin. It is the largest sea turtle, measuring 6 to 7 feet in length at maturity, 3 to 5 feet in width and weighing up to 1,300 pounds (590 kg). Other species are smaller, being mostly 2 to 4 feet and narrower.
Habitat:
Sea turtles are generally found in the waters over continental shelves. After taking to the water for the first time, males will not return to shore again. During the first three to five years of life, sea turtles spend most time in the pelagic zone floating in seaweed beds. Green sea turtles in particular are often found in Sargassum beds, a brown seaweed in which they find shelter and food. Once the sea turtle has reached adulthood it moves closer to the shore. Females will come ashore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches during the nesting season.
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