Green+Sea+Turtle

=//Green Sea Turtle (Chelania mydas)//=


 * **Domain** |||| Eukaryote ||
 * **Kingdom** |||| Animalia ||
 * **Phylum** |||| Chordata ||
 * **Class** |||| Reptilia ||
 * **Order** |||| Testudines ||
 * **Family** |||| Cheloniidae ||
 * **Genus** |||| Chelonia ||
 * **Species** |||| Chelonia Mydas ||

=__﻿__= =__Habitat__= Green Sea turtles move across 3 habitat types depending on their current life stage. Mature Turtles spend most of their time in shallow, coastal waters with lush seagrass beds. Adults move frequently in shore bays, lagoons, and shoals with lush seagrass meadows. Entire generations often migrate between one pair of feeding and nesting areas. Turtles spend most of their first five years in convergence zones within the open ocean.
 * [[image:http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTB_a9CB6Ohdq-aZvoqxFLAUJecfbpW2-NyqdrVa5cehPpxKJKy&t=1 width="240" height="180"]] || [[image:http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQe3zN06gHvwtE7Ir1K41KP7meOqz9CybJ5eYlsjRrGaX6j0_Nqqg&t=1 width="259" height="194" align="center"]] ||
 * = The Green Sea Turtle is scientifically classified as "Chelania mydas" ||

=**__﻿Physiology__**= Green Sea Turtles have dorsoventrally flattened bodies. They also have a beaked head at the end of a short neck, and paddle-like arms well adapted for swimming. Adult's grow to about 1.5 metres (5 feet) long. While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 310 kilograms (690 lb). Sea turtles are excellent divers. Some routinely dive more than 305 m (1,000 ft.) They may reach depths of more than 1,190 m (3,900 ft.) searching for jellyfish as prey.



=__﻿Species Interactions__=


 * [[image:http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRWCzbNaOz7h7ouwKHtnVQDyLc4ggV9WxE7-ECtShVgk4eDGPow&t=1 width="257" height="196"]] || [[image:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQk6EvpQ-bA-bmdG-oO5u-BQxE1d_YITYl29lWZDfQ5rn2ZHQzcRg&t=1 width="270" height="186"]] ||
 * = As seen in these photographs, baby Sea Turtles make their way back into the ocean shortly after hatching. ||

The most dangerous time of a Sea Turtle's life is when they first hatch from their eggs. As they walk, predators such as Seagulls and Crabs pick them off as food. A significant percentage of Turtles never make it to the ocean. Little is known of the initial life history of newly hatched sea turtles. Juveniles spend three to five years in the open ocean before they settle as still-immature juveniles into their permanent shallow-water lifestyle.

=**__﻿Reproduction__**= Sexual maturity between Sea Turtles is often related to carapace size. Studies have shown that hawksbills reach sexual maturity at a carapace size of 60 to 95 cm (24-37 in.); loggerheads reach maturity at a carapace size of 79 cm (31 in.); and green sea turtles reach maturity at 69 to 79 cm (27-31 in.). For most species, courtship activity usually occurs several weeks before the nesting season. Male sea turtles of all species except leatherbacks have enlarged claws on their front flippers. These help grasp the shells of the females during mating. Fertilization is internal and copulation takes place in the water, just offshore.

=__Free Topic__= Depending on the species, sea turtles may be carnivorous (meat eating), herbivorous (plant eating), or omnivorous (eating both meat and plants). The jaw structure of many species is adapted for their diet. Green sea turtles have finely serrated jaws adapted for a vegetarian diet of sea grasses and algae. As adults, these are the only herbivorous sea turtles.Some species change eating habits as they age. For example, green sea turtles are mainly carnivorous from hatching until juvenile size; they then progressively shift to an herbivorous diet.

=﻿__Works Cited__= "Green Sea Turtle." wikipedia.org. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 30 Mar 2011

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. "Sea Turtles" //SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS//. [|http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/sea-turtle/] 27 April 2011