SEA TURTLES SEA TURTLES Sea turtles can be

SEA TURTLES

SEA TURTLES Sea turtles can be found in all oceans except for the polar regions *7 Extant Species *Green sea turtle *Loggerhead *Kemp's ridley *Olive ridley *Hawksbill *Flatback and *Leatherback

*Have Fusiform body shape (Lemon Like) (This tapering at both ends reduces volume and reduces friction and drag in the water to help them swim) *Sea turtles consume jellyfish and seagrass and have limbs adapted to h swipe, and forage their food

Sea turtles maintain an internal environment that is hypotonic (Less concentrated {with salt ions} to the ocean. ) To maintain hypotonicity they must excrete excess salt ions BY a process called: Osmoregulation *Specialized gland (Lacrimal gland) rids the body of excess salt, because reptilian kidneys cannot produce urine with a higher ion concentration than sea water.

Sea Turtles Thermoregulation (Temperature Regulation) Unlike a human whose body maintains homeostasis and keeps it’s internal temperature within specific limits, Sea turtles are Poikilotherms and don’t do that. They generally stay close to the coast to absorb warmth from the sun. A poikilotherm is an animal whose internal temperature vary considerably.

Sea turtles are all, at the very least, vulnerable, with most of them being threatened or endangered species. Humans pose the largest threat to sea turtles remaining an Extant Species because humans: -Collect shells and eggs -kill turtles for meat -accidentally get captured by fishermen -destruction of beaches turtles’ nest -oil spills -Marine Pollution ( Plastics)

Life Cycle 1) Male and female sea turtles grow up in the ocean and migrate to shallow coastal water. 2) Sea turtles mate in the water near offshore nesting sites. 3) The adult male sea turtles return to the feeding sites in the water. 4) Female sea turtles cycle between mating and nesting. 5) Female sea turtles lay their eggs on land. 6) When the season is over, female sea turtles return to feeding sites. 7) Baby sea turtles incubate( in egg) for 60– 80 days and then hatch. 8) Newly hatched baby sea turtles emerge from nests and travel from the shore to the water. 9) Baby sea turtles mature in the ocean until they are ready to begin the cycle again.

Shell Sections The shell is made of two parts, or three if you count the bridge as a separate entity. These include – 1) The Carapace: The upper part of the shell. This forms the dome of the turtle. 2) The plastron and the Bridge: The lower part of the shell, which covers the underside of the turtle is called the Plastron, the Bridge is what connects the Carapace and the Plastron. ___________________________________________

Scute. A thickened horny or bony plate on the outermost part (of a turtle's shell) made out of Keratin (add protection and aid in I. d)

Prefrontal Scale (A. K. A Nuchal) (A. K. A Vertebral) Draw this Turtle clear enough to Be able to know where all of the labeled parts are located Instead of drawing Arrows, create a colored key ( Color a box around the term And color the part that it describes The same color) (A. K. A Costal)

Loggerhead Sea Turtles Identify by: Large Head with strong Jaws Scutes do NOT overlap 5 lateral scutes Carapace is heart-shaped and reddish-brown Front Flippers have two claws Mostly Carnivorous ( thus the strong jaws) Fact: Of all the sea turtles that nest in the United States, the loggerhead is the one seen most often.

Green Sea Turtles It’s head is small and blunt with a serrated jaw Have ONE PAIR of prefrontal scales (the scales in between and in front of the eyes Color of Carapace varies greatly -pale –dark green –bright yellow – brown/green with stripes *Fact: Named for the green color of fat underneath it’s shell Large NON-over lapping scutes. 4 lateral scutes Body is oval shaped All flippers have ONE visible claw

Leatherback Sea Turtles Has a unique shell composed of a layer of thin, tough rubbery skin strengthened by thousands of tiny bone plates that make it look “Leathery” *The only Turtle that lacks a hard shell !!! * Fact- The leatherback is the champion of sea turtles: It grows the largest, dives the deepest, and travels the farthest of all sea turtles. Carapace is black or dark grey with white or pale spots.

A smaller sea turtle lives in Tropical regions Hawksbill Sea Turtles Head is narrow with TWO pairs of prefrontal scales Jaw is shaped like a beak/bill( this allows it to get food from tiny crevices ( eats shrimp, squid, anemones) Jaw is NOT serrated Has large overlapping scutes 4 lateral scutes

*Fact- Kemp’s ridley is the most endangered of all sea turtles Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles • Also have powerful jaws To aid them in eating crabs, clams, and mussels that have hard shells. 5 lateral Scutes that do NOT overlap Adults have a dark-green/grey carapace Rounded carapace Front flippers have one claw

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Head is small Carapace has 6 or more lateral scutes and is circular and smooth. Also have powerful jaws to eat crustaceans , fish, crab, and shrimp Adults have a dark greyish-green color.

Flatback Sea Turtles *Fact- shell is very smooth and waxy, and can be easily damaged Body is very flat and Carapace is oval or round and Olive-grey in color with pale brownish yellow tones on the margins Head has a single pair of prefrontal scales. Carapace is bony without ridges and has Large NON-overlapping Scutes Only had 4 Lateral scutes Prefers inshore waters/coral reefs/bays where its favorite meal, sea cucumbers mollusks prawns, mollusks, and jellyfish live.