Green Sea Turtle 

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum:
Chordata Class:Reptilia
Order:Testudines
(=Chelonii)
 Suborder: Cryptodira
Family:Cheloniidae
Genus:Chelonia
Species:C. mydas

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Biology

. To keep itself warm, the green sea turtle will go up on land and soak up the sun. Like other sea turtles, the green sea turtle takes lengthy migrations to their nesting groundings. After mating season, the female sea turtles go on the sandy beaches to the lay their eggs. They use their flippers to dig into the sand, and display a clutch of 100 to 200 eggs. The babies use their special hooked tooth and powerful front flippers to break through their shell. The hatchings have the most dangerous time when they are first born. They have to make it to the ocean without being crushed by the waves or picked up by predators. 

Fun Facts 

• Unlike most sea turtles, green sea turtles are herbivores.
  
• Often, female green sea turtles use the same beach that their mothers used. 
• They can stay under for as long as 5 hours., but the usual length of feeding is 5 minutes. 
• Temperatures determines the sex of the turtle. ( temperatures below 85 F is predominately male and above 85 is predominately female.)
• All sea turtles, including green sea turtles, can not put their heads into their shells.

Morphology: The Green Sea Turtle has carapace
that varies from olive to brown, grey and black with bold streaks and blotches. They're called green sea turtle, because of the fat they have which is green  The plastron of the turtle remains a pale yellow or orange throughout its life. They have a jagged-edge jaw and a pair of scale in front of its eyes. The female is usually larger than the male.

DISTRIBUTION Map 

Ecological and Economical Importance:
The green sea turtle is classified as an endangered species. They are overharvested for their meat and eggs. Building construction, beach armoring and sand extraction are the culprits for degradation in nesting areas. They are now, protected by a raft of international legislation and it is also promptly prohibited to do international trade. They are one of the few species to eat sea grass. They also develop breeding and developmental habitats for other marine animals. 

Vocabulary 

Carapace- the top shell of the turtle.
Plastron- the underside of the turtle's body/
Hatchings- The newborn turtles.
Overharvested- to gather too much of the product.
Herbivores- Animals that only eat plants and plant-like material.

Sources

Arkive 
Oceana
National Geographic