1. Sea Turtles By: Robert Pesci

2. Kingdom Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Clade:Panchelonioidea

3. Characteristics 1.Adult male and female sea turtles are equal in size. 2.The leatherback is the largest of all living sea turtles. Mature leatherbacks reach about 1.2 to 1.9 m (3.9-6.2 ft.) and 200 to 506 kg (441-1,116 lb.). The largest leatherback recorded weighed 916 kg (2,019 lb.). 3.The Kemp's ridley and olive ridley are the smallest species, and reach about 55 to 75 cm (22-30 in.) and 30 to 50 kg (66-110 lb.). 4.Green sea turtles reach about 78 to 112 cm (31-44 in.) and 68 to 186 kg (150-410 lb.). The largest individual collected was 1.5 m (4.9 ft.) and 395 kg (871 lb.). 5.Loggerheads reach about 82 to 105 cm (32-41 in.) and 66 to 101 kg (146-223 lb.). 6.Hawksbills reach about 53 to 114 cm (21-45 in.) and 27 to 86 kg (60-190 lb.). 7.Flatbacks reach about 81 to 97 cm (32-38 in.) and 60 to 84 kg (132-185 lb.).

4. reproduction 1.For most species, courtship activity usually occurs several weeks before the nesting season. 2.Two or more males may court a single female. 3.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. 4.Fertilization is internal. Copulation takes place in the water, just offshore.

5. Feeding Relationships 1.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. 2.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. 3.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. 4.A hawksbill has a narrow head with jaws meeting at an acute angle, adapted for getting food from crevices in coral reefs. They eat sponges, tunicates, shrimps, and squids. 5.Loggerheads' and ridleys' jaws are adapted for crushing and grinding. Their diet consists primarily of crabs, molluscs, shrimps, jellyfish, and vegetation. 6.Leatherbacks have delicate scissor-like jaws that would be damaged by anything other than their normal diet of jellyfish, tunicates, and other soft-bodied animals. The mouth cavity and throat are lined with papillae(spine-like projections) pointed backward to help them swallow soft foods. 7.Researchers continue to study the feeding habits of flatbacks. There is evidence that they are opportunistic feeders that eat seaweeds, cuttlefish, and sea cucumbers. 8.In a zoological environment all sea turtle species can be maintained on a carnivorous diet.

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9. video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0kXtmXu j8

10. 1. They’ve been around for a very, very long time. The oldest known sea turtle fossils date back about 150 million years, making them some of the oldest creatures on Earth. Just for some context, dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago: 2. They really love to travel. Leatherback sea turtles can travel more than 10,000 miles every year: 3. For sea turtles, home is where the heart is. When it's time to lay their eggs, female sea turtles return to the same nesting grounds where they were born: 4.They can hold their breath for a very (very, very) long time. Green sea turtles can stay underwater for up to five hours, but their feeding dives usually only last five minutes or less: 5. They can grow to be super heavy. Leatherback sea turtles can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Just look at this behemoth