Sea Turtles Flashcards
1
Q
What are the seven species of sea turtle?
A
- Loggerhead
- Hawksbill
- Kemp’s Ridley (most endangered)
- Olive Ridley (most common)
- Australian flat back
- Leatherback
- Green: found in tropical oceans around globe, except eastern tropical pacific where he Black Sea turtle is the tropical species
2
Q
Are sea turtle warm blooded or cold blooded?
A
Cold blooded (ectothermic)
3
Q
What do sea turtles matter?
A
- link in ecosystem
- help maintain health of sea grass beds and coral
- major cultural significance and tourism value
4
Q
How fast do sea turtles swim?
A
20-25 mph
5
Q
How long can a sea turtle hold their breath?
A
2 hours
6
Q
When is a sea turtle mature?
A
10-50 yrs
7
Q
What do the lacrimal glands of sea turtles do?
A
Secrete salt through the eyes
8
Q
Describe the anatomy of a sea turtle?
A
- internal/external skeleton
- external protective shell and internal skeleton with fused ribs
- powerful sense of smell
- no ears
- male/female difference: male has a longer tail than female
- can’t retract limbs or head
9
Q
Describe sea turtle reproduction
A
- mating occurs at sea
- sea turtle nesting in Gulf of Mexico is May-October
- egg laying behavior-return to natal beach
10
Q
How do sea turtles know what beach is their natal beach?
A
- detect both angle and intensity of the earths magnetically field
- hatchlings imprint on natal beach
- young females may follow older females
11
Q
Clutch
A
Number of eggs in a nest
12
Q
How many nests do sea turtles lay a season?
A
2-8
13
Q
Caruncle
A
Egg tooth used to chip at shells, falls off
14
Q
Egg incubation
A
2 months depending on species
15
Q
Sex determined by
A
Temp of sand (boys cooler temp, girls hotter temp)
