| Cheloniidae (sea turtles) |
| 105 cm CL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 386 kg |
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pelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 200 m |
| Circumglobal. |
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In adults, body is depressed and carapace is oval in dorsal view, its width about 88% of its length. Head small and blunt; one pair of elongated prefrontal scales between the orbits; tomium of lower jaw with a sharply serrated which loses its tip cusp with age. Cutting rim corresponds with strong ridges on the inner surface of the upper. Carapacial scutes: thin, smooth and flexible when removed. The dorsal side have 4 pairs of lateral scutes, the foremost not touching the precentral scute; 5 central scutes, low-keeled in
juveniles. In subadults and adults, it lacks a median keeand have 12 pairs of marginal scutes. On the underside, the scutes are smooth and thin with 4 pairs of inframarginal, 12 pairs of central plastral; one intergular and sometimes one interanal scute in shape. Each flipper has a single, visible claw. Color: On the upper side, varies from pale to very dark and from plain colour to brilliant combinations of yellow, brown and greenish tones, forming radiated stripes, or abundantly splattered with dark blotches. In juveniles, the scales of the head and upper sides of the flippers are fringed by a narrow, clear, yellowish margin which is usually lost with age. Underneath, the Atlantic forms are plain white, dirty white or yellowish white; the Pacific forms are a dark greybluish-green. Newborn hatchlings are dark brown or nearly black on the upper side; carapace and the rear edges of the flippers with a white margin. Underneath they are white. |
| The total catches in 1987 are: 864 metric tons for FAO area 77 and 305 metric tons for FAO area 87 (Ref. 1397). Exploited for their eggs, shell, and flesh that are used for food and medicinal purposes (Ref. 85371). Considered to be the best species for commercial ranching or farming but capturing green turtles was forbidden; although for some areas, it still persists. Inadvertently caught in trawls (Ref. 1397). This species is not at risk of global extinction, rather subpopulations in different areas may become extinct if not dealt with, thus regional population listings are important for better conservation assessments (Ref. 83887). A typical solitary nektonic animal which usually feeds at shallow water areas where seagrasses or algae is abundant (Ref. 417). Feeds on algae and seagrasses (Ref. 97534). Home ranges for individuals feeding on algae is larger than individuals feeding on seagrass (Ref. 66638). Adults are known to be herbivorous while hatchlings to juvenile sizes are assumed to be carnivorous which has faster growth rates. When they get big enough, mostly capable of avoiding predators, they shift to a herbivorous diet (Ref. 417). Adults spend their adult life in foraging grounds which is often in great distance from nesting grounds (Ref. 66637). This results in a great energy cost from transport and fasting during the travel, thus females are observed to rest on the sea floor between nestings (Ref. 85359). Since mating occurs at sea, courting and copulation behavior are observed near nesting beaches and males are described to display and elaborate courtship behavior (Ref. 66637). In Hawaii beach-basking behavior was observed to facilitate temperature regulation (Ref. 81046). They have a swimming speed of 32km/hr (Ref. 83508). During nesting, females emerge from the water and creates a set of tracks one ascending to a successful nest or aborted digging while another extends as it descends to the sea (Ref. 83891). Post-nesting behavior shows a dominance of short dives mainly during open-ocean migration. This aids them in lessening their energy cost during transport, plus there is little food available in the open-ocean thus close to surface dives is observed. They also combine open-ocean and coastal routes for provision of foraging opportunities (Ref. 83560). Couplings of water temperature and their behavior is observed among this species (Ref. 85360). |
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Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 30 April 2004 (A2bd) Ref. 123251)
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