Family Cheloniidae Sea turtles. Class Reptilia – Order Testudines 6 out of 7 species have a hard...
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Transcript of Family Cheloniidae Sea turtles. Class Reptilia – Order Testudines 6 out of 7 species have a hard...
Class Reptilia – Order Testudines
6 out of 7 species have a hard outer carapace
All sea turtles have evolved for the marine environment Dorsoventrally flattened
(aquadynamics) Paddle-like arms and legs for swimming
Breath air, but are capable of anaerobic respiration
Most species are endangered
Characteristics – Sea Turtles
Leatherback Sea Turtle
• Herbivorous and omnivorous
• After hatching on on beaches all turtles find their way to pelagic zones where they float in beds of sea weeds, after three to five years they return to the continental shelf at which they were born.
Chelonia mydas – Green Sea Turtle Among the largest sea turtles
Up to 700 lbs.
~6 ft. in length
Live upwards of 80 years
Herbivorous adults – Sea grasses and algae Thought to be responsible for their greenish
fat from which their name is derived
Tropic and sub-tropic marine environments Circumglobal
Endangered due to human activity Hunting
Fishing
Chemical pollution
Habitat destruction
Characteristics - Casquehead lizards
Class Reptilia – Suborder Lacertilia
Moderately sized lizards
Found in forests from Mexico to Ecuador
Laterally compressed bodies
Well developed crests Used in defensive displays
Lateral side faces threat in order to appear larger
Unlike relatives their tails are unable to break off Essential as a counter
balance for a specific type of movement
Basiliscus vittatus – Brown/Striped Basilisk
Tropical and subtropical wet, moist, and dry forests Panama, Belize, Columbia, and Costa Rica
Can reach up to 61 cm in length
Three crests along head, body, and tail
Usually brown with black stripes
Primarily feed on insects
Sometimes referred to as the “Jesus Lizards” Can run 10-20 meters across the surface of
water
Younger/smaller basilisks can run further and farther than older/larger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpXHpXKZtws
Female
Male