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Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

Description:

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) - "O.D.", a permanent resident at The Turtle Hospital, Marathon, Florida, is being fed by a staff member. In the third photo, O.D is blowing water from his nostrils. [O.D.‘s story is unique. The turtle stranded in North Carolina in 2007 with a left lung infection, was released, and re-stranded a year later here in the Florida Keys. The lung issue is unfortunately a permanent ailment and left O.D. with buoyancy issues on the left side. He cannot properly dive down without the addition of weights to offset the buoyancy and so is non-releasable. ~The Turtle Hospital ] << The Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. ... Adult green turtles grow to 1.5 metres (5 ft) long. While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 315 kilograms (690 lb), the average weight of mature individuals is 110–190 kilograms (240–420 lb). >>

Habitat:

The Turtle Hospital, Marathon, Florida (Hidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation; http://www.turtlehospital.org.

Notes:

The Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Their common name derives from the usually green fat found beneath their carapace (upper shell). The green sea turtle is a sea turtle, possessing a dorsoventrally flattened body covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace and a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although parts of the carapace can be almost black in the eastern Pacific. Unlike other members of its family, such as the hawksbill sea turtle and loggerhead sea turtle, C. mydas is mostly herbivorous. The adults commonly inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of seagrasses. Like other sea turtles, they 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. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and walk into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to age 80 in the wild. C. mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them. In addition, many countries have laws and ordinances to protect nesting areas. However, turtles are still in danger because of several human practices. In some countries, turtles and their eggs are hunted for food. Pollution indirectly harms turtles at both population and individual scales. Many turtles die caught in fishing nets. Also, real estate development often causes habitat loss by eliminating nesting beaches. The green sea turtle is a member of the tribe Chelonini. A 1993 study clarified the status of genus Chelonia with respect to the other marine turtles. The carnivorous Eretmochelys (hawksbill), Caretta (loggerhead) and Lepidochelys (Ridley) were assigned to the tribe Carettini. Herbivorous Chelonia warranted their status, while Natator (flatback) was further removed than previously believed. The species' common name does not derive from any particular green external coloration of the turtle. Its name comes from the greenish color of the turtles' fat, which is only found in a layer between their inner organs and their shell. As a species found worldwide, the green turtle is called differently in some languages and dialects. In the Hawaiian language, honu is used to refer to this species. Adult green turtles grow to 1.5 metres (5 ft) long. While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 315 kilograms (690 lb), the average weight of mature individuals is 110–190 kilograms (240–420 lb). The largest known C. mydas weighed 395 kilograms (870 lb). Anatomically, a few characteristics distinguish the green turtle from the other members of its family. Unlike the closely related hawksbill turtle, the green turtle's snout is very short and its beak is unhooked. The sheath of the turtle's upper jaw possesses a denticulated edge, while its lower jaw has stronger, serrated, more defined denticulation. The dorsal surface of the turtle's head has a single pair of prefrontal scales. Its carapace is composed of five central scutes flanked by four pairs of lateral scutes. Underneath, the green turtle has four pairs of inframarginal scutes covering the area between the turtle's plastron and its shell. Mature C. mydas front appendages have only a single claw (as opposed to the hawksbill's two), although a second claw is sometimes prominent in young specimens. The carapace of the turtle has various color patterns that change over time. Hatchlings of C. mydas, like those of other marine turtles, have mostly black carapaces and light-colored plastrons. Carapaces of juveniles turn dark brown to olive, while those of mature adults are either entirely brown, spotted or marbled with variegated rays. Underneath, the turtle's plastron is hued yellow. C. mydas limbs are dark-colored and lined with yellow, and are usually marked with a large dark brown spot in the center of each appendage. (credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_sea_t.........)

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2 Comments

JackEng
JackEng 11 years ago

Karen,
Thank you! The Turtle Hospital's permanent residents and rehab patients are wonderful creatures to visit, observe and photograph...
Also thanks for the "heads up" (pun intended) on the Wildlife Rescue mission...

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Lovely series Jack! I find sea turtles so beautiful!
You might like to add this to the Wildlife Rescue mission http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/9974...

JackEng
Spotted by
JackEng

Marathon, Florida, USA

Spotted on May 3, 2012
Submitted on May 13, 2012

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