Loggerhead
(Caretta caretta)
In regards
to Sea turtles, scientists divide the group into seven main species each
with its own unique characteristics, nesting grounds, behavioral patterns
and environmental threats.
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image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
The loggerhead turtle nests
in the United States. While some consider the loggerhead to be more plentiful
because it is seen more often this species is also in danger. The exact
status of the species is debated as some consider it threatened (CCC 2000)
while others say it is endangered (Poland 2000). Regardless, the term threatened
is not to be taken lightly due to the fact that the Loggerhead turtle would
still be very much in danger of extinction. Adult Loggerhead turtles typically
weigh in at around 350 pounds and their carapace (or upper portion
of their shell) is usually 32-41 inches in length.
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
The Green turtle is endangered
all over the world but still nest off the coast of Florida. This species
can be easily identified due to the single pair of scales in front of its
eyes. In contrast to the Green turtle, the other species of sea turtles
have two pairs of scales in front of their eyes. The Green turtle is considered
to be the largest of the Cheloniidae family with the largest recorded
turtle weighing in at 871 pounds and was nearly 5 ft long. (CCC 2000)
Black
turtle (Chelonia agassizii)
The black sea turtle is controversial
because not all scientists consider it to be a species. It is often considered
to be merely a subspecies of the green turtle and it is classified as Chelonia
mydas agassizii. However, the black sea turtle is different than the
green turtle in several aspects. The most obvious difference is the coloring
of the turtles, thus the origins of their names. In regards to size the
black sea turtle is smaller than the green and it's carapace is structurally
different as well. The black sea turtle nests and lives in different areas
as well. In addition, the black sea turtle has only one pair of prefrontal
scales as opposed to the two of the green turtle. (Poland 2000)
Leatherback
(Dermochelys coriacea)
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corporation
The Leatherback like the Green turtle
is endangered yet still a few nest off the coast of Florida annually. The Leatherback
is often considered to be the "champion" of sea turtles because it exceeds all
of the sea turtles in most categories. The Leatherback migrates the farthest,
can dive the deepest, and grows to be the largest. Mature adults are about 4
to 8 ft long and weigh anywhere from 650 to 1,300 pounds. The largest
Leatherback ever recorded was about 10 ft in length and weighed a whopping
2,019 pounds!! The Leatherback gets its name from its unique shell. Unlike the
rest of the sea turtles, the Leatherback has a soft shell made from a thin,
rubbery but tough layer of skin and additionally strengthened by small plates
of bone. The shell and body shape of a Leatherback are aerodynamically designed
to enable it to swim thousands of miles in the rough ocean waters (CCC 2000).
In addition to all of its amazing capabilities, the leatherback has an exceptional
ability in regards to thermalregulation and diving
ability (Poland 2000).
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
The Flatback is not as large
as some of the other sea turtles. Flatbacks when mature are around 39 inches
long and weigh about 198 pounds. It lives in grassy shallows and coral
reefs found on the coasts which is why it is often found near Australia
and around New Guinea.
Hawksbill
(Eretmochelys imbricata)
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
The hawksbill sea turtles are
close to extinction because people hunt them for their amazingly beautiful
shell (which are often used in jewelry). They can be found in and around
the waters of the U.S. but typically they do not nest in North America.
The Hawksbill usually nests in the Caribbean but it is difficult to find
large numbers of them anywhere today. Like the Flatback it too is not that
large weighing only 150 pounds maximum and reaching nearly 36 inches in
length. (CCC 2000)
Kemp's
ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
The Kemp's ridley sea turtles
are not only the most endangered of the sea turtles, they are the smallest
as well (Davis 1991). Mature adults reach only 24 to 28 inches in length
and weigh as little as 77 to 100 pounds. The majority of the Kemp's ridley
turtles nest in a small area of a beach in Mexico and they nest in large
masses called arribadas (which in Spanish means arrival). Unique from the
other species of sea turtles the arribadas of the Kemp's ridley nest annually.
Olive
ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
image copyright Caribbean Conservation Corp.
Like the Kemp's ridley the
Olive ridley is one of the smallest sea turtles often times weighing less
than 100 pounds. The color of this particular turtle is olive green (thus
its name). It is an omnivorous sea turtle and its nesting arribadas can
be found in Costa Rica and parts of Mexico.
email me: japleasants@davidson.edu
