What can you tell me about sea turtles?

Question

1.any interresting facts
2. any websites

Answer 1

I. Scientific Classification.
A. Class Reptilia.

1. Reptilia is a class of ectothermic (cold-blooded) vertebrates that includes snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles.

2. Reptiles have scaly skin, breathe air with lungs, and have a three-chambered heart.

3. Most reptiles lay eggs, although some produce eggs that hatch internally.

B. Order Testudines.

This order includes all turtles and tortoises. It is divided into three suborders: Pleurodira (side-necked turtles), Cryptodira (all other living species), and Amphichelydia (extinct species).

C. Suborder Cryptodira.

This suborder includes freshwater turtles, snapping turtles, tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, and sea turtles.

D. Families.

Most scientists recognize two families of sea turtles:

1. Family Cheloniidae are sea turtles with shells covered with scutes (horny plates).

2. Family Dermochelyidae are scuteless turtles with only one modern species, the leatherback turtle. Leatherbacks are covered with leathery skin. They are the only marine turtle whose backbone is not attached to the inside of the shell.

E. Genus, species.

Most scientists recognize eight species of sea turtles:

1. green Chelonia mydas

2. black (also know as Eastern Pacific green turtle) Chelonia agassizii

3. loggerhead Caretta caretta

4. Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii

5. olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea

6. hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata

7. flatback Natator depressus

8. leatherback Dermochelys coriacea





F. Fossil record.

1. The first turtles appeared during the Triassic period, 245 to 208 million years ago.

2. The earliest known sea turtles appear in the fossil record in the Late Jurassic period, 208 to 144 million years ago. Scientists believe that modern sea turtles are derived from marsh-inhabiting ancestors that lived during the Late Triassic period.

3. Fossil records show that the now-extinct sea turtle Archelon ischyros, from the Late Cretaceous period, 144 to 65 million years ago, was one of the largest turtles that ever lived and reached a length of 3 to 4 m (9.8 - 13 ft.).

4. Together with saltwater crocodiles, marine snakes, and marine iquanas, sea turtles are the only surviving seawater-adapted reptiles.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Senses.
A. Hearing.

Like other reptiles, the sea turtle ear has a single bone in the middle ear that conducts vibrations to the inner ear. Researchers have found that sea turtles respond to low frequency sounds and vibrations.

B. Eyesight.

1. Sea turtles can see well under water but are shortsighted in the air.


2. Under experimental condititons, loggerhead and green sea turtle hatchlings exhibited a preference for near-ultraviolet, violet, and blue-green light.

C. Tactile.

A sea turtle is sensitive to touch on the soft parts of its flippers and on its shell.

D. Taste.

Little is known about a sea turtle's sense of taste.

E. Smell.

1. Most researchers believe that sea turtles have an acute sense of smell in the water. Experiments show that hatchlings react to the scent of shrimp. This adaptation allows sea turtles to locate food in murky water.

2. Sea turtles open their mouths slightly and draw in water through the nose, then immediately empty it out again throught the mouth. Pulsating movements of the throat are thought to be associated with smelling.

Answer 2

Ok. First of all, I seriously doubt you have a sea turtle since they grow to be pretty large and are mostly endangered. So you have either a water or a land turtle. Here are the differences. 1. Feet: Land turtles feet look like an elephants and a waters are webbed. 2. Back. A land turtle's shell is high to protect it from being stepped on. A water turtles shell is flatter for faster speed in the water. Even water turtles need to come on land though so if it is a water turtle, put some thing in it he can crawl on. If it is a land turtle, make sure it doesn't end up in deep water because it can't swim.

Answer 3

Sea turtle have lived on earth for over 100 million years. They have outlived the dinosaurs and survived the severe climate changes of several ice ages, the last of which ended only ten thousand years ago. Once numbering in the millions, sea turtle populations are now in serious decline. Today, of the seven species of sea turtles left in the world's oceans, six are considered endangered. Like most other endangered species, sea turtles are threatened with extinction largely because of the influences of human activities on their populations and habitat.

Here is a website with different species....and pics.
http://www.fpl.com/environment/endangered/sea_turtle_facts.shtml
Fun Facts:
*Turtles are the only group of reptiles that do not have teeth. Instead they have a strong horny beak that is good at crushing hard food.
*Sea turtles can stay underwater without surfacing to breathe for up to two hours while resting. They must surface frequently when active.
*Arribada is the term for the mass nesting of sea turtles that occurs when they come onto land and lay their eggs.
*Loggerheads have the largest head of all sea turtles. They can lay up to 7 nests in one season and usually nest every two years
*Only one hatchling in a thousand make it to adulthood (15-25 yrs) They can live to be over 100 yrs old.
*In the mythology of India the survival of the sea turtle insures the survival of the world. The Indian myth states that the earth rests on the back of three elephants. These elephants in turn stand on the shell of a giant sea turtle which swims in an infinite sea. It is believed that if the sea turtle disappears the world will end.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Sea Turtles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtles

Answer 5

I owned a red eared slider for 5 years. Bought it in FL as a baby - that's the only turtle I know about.....lots and lots of work! Don't recommend one!

Answer 6

They live in the sea.

Answer 7

they like water, heat, food n they live up 2 150 years n more.

Answer 8

here's a site that coves both.

http://library.thinkquest.org/3822/886008577380.htm

and here's one all about sea turtles

http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/SeaTurtle/home.html

Answer 9

try this

http://www.answers.com/sea%20turtles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtles