Green Sea Turtle Research Paper
Student Name: Sammi Zheng 12-04-12 | Green Sea Turtle
TAXONOMY | Domain | Eukaryota | Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Reptilla | Order | Testudines | Family | Cheloniidae | Genus | Chelonia | Species | Two names (Genus and species - Italicize scientific name) Chelonia Mydas | | What is the Endangered Species Act status for this species (Endangered or Threatened)? | Endangered | Where is the geographic location for this species? | Southeastern America; Florida and Pacific Coast of Mexico | What is the habitat for this species? | Inside reefs, bays and inlets. The turtles are attracted to lagoons and shoals with an abundance of marine grass and algae. Open beaches with a sloping platform and minimal disturbance are required for nesting. Green turtles apparently have strong nesting site fidelity and often make long distance migrations between feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Hatchlings have been observed to seek refuge and food in Sargassum rafts | What does it eat? | Hatchling green turtles eat a variety of plants and animals, but adults feed almost exclusively on sea grasses and marine algae. | …show more content…
| The nesting season varies with the locality. In the Southeastern U.S., it is roughly June through September. Nesting occurs nocturnally at 2, 3, or 4-year intervals. Only occasionally do females produce clutches in successive years. A female may lay as a many as nine clutches within a nesting season (overall average is about 3.3 nests per season) at about 13-day intervals. Clutch size varies from 75 to 200 eggs, with an average clutch size of 136 eggs reported for Florida. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 75 days, depending on incubation temperatures. Hatchlings generally emerge at night. Age at sexual maturity is believed to be 20 to 50 years.
TAXONOMY | Domain | Eukaryota | Kingdom | Animalia | Phylum | Chordata | Class | Reptilla | Order | Testudines | Family | Cheloniidae | Genus | Chelonia | Species | Two names (Genus and species - Italicize scientific name) Chelonia Mydas | | What is the Endangered Species Act status for this species (Endangered or Threatened)? | Endangered | Where is the geographic location for this species? | Southeastern America; Florida and Pacific Coast of Mexico | What is the habitat for this species? | Inside reefs, bays and inlets. The turtles are attracted to lagoons and shoals with an abundance of marine grass and algae. Open beaches with a sloping platform and minimal disturbance are required for nesting. Green turtles apparently have strong nesting site fidelity and often make long distance migrations between feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Hatchlings have been observed to seek refuge and food in Sargassum rafts | What does it eat? | Hatchling green turtles eat a variety of plants and animals, but adults feed almost exclusively on sea grasses and marine algae. | …show more content…
| The nesting season varies with the locality. In the Southeastern U.S., it is roughly June through September. Nesting occurs nocturnally at 2, 3, or 4-year intervals. Only occasionally do females produce clutches in successive years. A female may lay as a many as nine clutches within a nesting season (overall average is about 3.3 nests per season) at about 13-day intervals. Clutch size varies from 75 to 200 eggs, with an average clutch size of 136 eggs reported for Florida. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 75 days, depending on incubation temperatures. Hatchlings generally emerge at night. Age at sexual maturity is believed to be 20 to 50 years.