Sea Turtles

Sea turtles evolved approximately 110 million years ago as their ancestors began to inhabit exclusively marine environments. Modern sea turtles now spend virtually their entire lives in the water where they breed, feed, and even sleep. As oviparous reptiles, however, female turtles periodically venture onto land to nest on tropical to sub-tropical sandy beaches. All sea turtles exhibit similar reproductive behavior but each species differs in dietary and habitat preferences. This chapter provides an overview of the taxonomy, morphology and ecology of the seven extant species of sea turtle: the flatback, green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and olive ridley