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Sea Turtles

Sea turtle (superfamily Chelonioidea) images & facts - these are our collection of seven sea turtle species of stock photo and illustration galleries. Sea turtles, sometimes called marine turtles, are survivors of ancient times with some amazing abilities. They can glide through the water as gracefully as birds fly through the air, using their flippers as wings. They can hold their breath for extended periods of time and dive to incredible depths. They travel hundreds, even a thousand miles or more, to return to their birthplace of sandy beaches to nest. They have survived nearly unchanged for many millions of years. However, they are now threatened with extinction throughout their range.

Scientific Classification | Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Reptilia > Order: Testudines > Suborder: Cryptodia > Superfamily: Chelonioidea

The sea turtle's most distinctive feature is its large, hard shell, which takes up a majority of its body. The shell protects its soft, inner flesh and is divided into two sections: the carapace (dorsal portion) and plastron (ventral portion). Unlike other turtle species, the sea turtle cannot retract its head or fins into its shell. Sea turtles can be found in all oceans except in cold, polar areas.

After reaching sexual maturity, mature sea turtles travel long distances, sometimes even thousands of miles, in order to reach breeding sites. After mating, female sea turtles come up on land to lay a clutch of between 50-350 eggs in a 16-20 inch deep hole in the sand. Afterward, she will cover the hole with sands and/or vegetation and take off again in the water, leaving the eggs unattended. Eggs will hatch after 50-60 days, and the hatchlings will enter the water together within the first hour after hatching. After each breeding season, a sea turtle will not breed again for 2-4 years.

Sea turtles have a long history of being threatened by humans, as it is viewed as a prized food source in many cultures, and the scutes of its shell and skin of its flippers have historically been harvested for decorative jewelry, clothing, and shoes. In addition, polluted water and commercial fishing nets threaten the health and safety of these animals on a broader scale. The IUCN Red List lists three species of sea turtles as "endangered" or "critically endangered," and another three species are listed as "vulnerable." There are a total of 7 species of sea turtles. This includes: the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) , the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) , the flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus) , the Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) , and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). These six species of sea turtles are hard-shelled and are all members of the Cheloniidae family. The last species, the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), does not have a hard shell like the others and is part of the Dermochelyidae family.
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