Marine turtle

Marine iguana

Saltwater crocodile

Marine ReptilesMarine Reptiles

Sea snake

Sea SnakesSea Snakes

Diversity:• Laticodtidae- krates- 5 species (1 is fw in Solomon

Islands)• Hydrophidae- 54 different species

Location:• Laticotids- live from east coast India to Japan and come

to the tip of Cape York (Australia)• Hydrophiids- found from south tip of Africa to India to

South East Asian Islands to Japan to north half of Australia

Habitat: • Primarily tropical; coastal estuaries, coral reefs, open sea;

33-36oC

Sea SnakesSea Snakes

• Behavior: Often schooling in aggregations; Not aggressive but human fatalities have occurred

• Prey: Feed on small fish or squid, which are killed with powerful venom

• Predators (few): sharks, snapper, grouper, crabs, saltwater crocodiles, raptors; they descend to escape

• Venom: 2-10 times as toxic as that of a cobras

Sea SnakesSea Snakes

• Largest living crocodilians: 6-7 m long

• Eggs laid and incubated on land• Tropical and subtropical

Saltwater crocodiles

Marine IguanasMarine Iguanas

• Marine lizard endemic to Galapagos islands• Herbivorous: graze on seaweeds• Salt-glands on nose to eliminate excess salt• Recently observed feeding on land for first time• They return to land to escape predators.

Conservation Status

1. Endangered-facing a very high risk of

extinction in the wild

2. Vulnerable -facing a high risk of extinction in

the wild

3. Threatened-close to qualifying in one of the

above categories

1. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also called the World Conservation Union

2. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

3. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Class: Reptilia: ReptilesOrder: Chelonia: Turtles and TortoisesFamily: Chelonidae: Marine TurtlesScientific Name: Natator depressusDiet: sea cucumbers, soft corals, jellyfishSize: < 1 m in lengthConservation Status: vunerableHabitat: near continental shelf, shallow, soft bottom sea beds

Range: northern part of Australia

flatback

Class: Reptilia: Reptiles

Order: Chelonia: Turtles and Tortoises

Family: Chelonidae: Marine Turtles

Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas

Diet: seagrass and algae

Size: ~500lbs

Conservation Status: threatened

Habitat: high energy ocean beaches, convergence zones in the pelagic habitat, benthic feeding grounds in relatively protected waters

Range: throughout world in all tropical and subtropical oceans

Green turtle

hawksbill

Class: Reptilia: ReptilesOrder: Chelonia: Turtles and Tortoises Family: Chelonidae: Marine Turtles Scientific Name: Eretmochelys imbricataDiet: ShellfishSize: 76 - 91 cm (30 - 36 in) Conservation Status: Endangered Habitat: coral reefs, rocky coasts Range: Tropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; Caribbean

Class: Reptilia: ReptilesOrder: Chelonia: Turtles and TortoisesFamily: Chelonidae: Marine TurtlesScientific Name: Caretta carettaDiet: CrustaceansSize: 76 - 102 cm (30 - 40 in) Conservation Status:Vulnerable Habitat: coasts, open sea Range: Temperate and tropical areas of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans

Loggerhead

leatherback

Class: Reptilia: ReptilesOrder: Chelonia: Turtles and TortoisesFamily: Dermochelidae: Marine TurtlesScientific Name: Dermochelys coriaceaDiet: sea jellies and salpsSize: 1500 lbsConservation Status: endangeredHabitat: pelagic waterRange: tropical seas, oceanic islands, Atlantic, Pacific, & Indian Ocean

Physiology:

Poikilothermic (cold blooded)Skin has scalesSpeed- 35 mphBreath holding- 2 hrs, when sleeping or restingMaturity- 10-50 yrs for greenCannot retract heads like terrestrial turtlesLacrimal gland- salt secretion (drinks seawater)

Mating- at seaMigration- occurs in late spring; female is accompanied by male

Green sea turtles migrate as far as 800 miles from feeding area to nest in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Egg laying behavior- return to same beach (natal beach)

Kemps Ridley nesting

Usually nest at night

Front flippers dig pit, rear flippers carve out burrow

Turtle nestCross section

Egg tooth- used to chip away at shell

Group effort to get out of nest- emerge at night (safer) and head towards brightest light

Artificial lights- confuse hatchlings

Clutch size- about 100 eggs & covers pit with sand

Egg incubation- 2 months depending upon species

Sex determined by temperature- males lower temp, females higher temp

Leatherback hatching Kemps Ridley hatchlings

Eggs- skunks, raccoons, pigs, lizards, crabs, ants, beetles, fungal and bacterial infections

Hatchlings- birds, mammals, crabs

Adults- sharks, humans

• Meat• Eggs- nearly forbidden in all countries

with nesting beaches• Soup• Jewelry• Leather

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): turtle commerce prohibited in countries that signed agreement

Marine Debris- plastic bags, soda can plastic rings, fishing line, oil and tar

Costal development and habitat degradation- noise, light, beach obstructions- affect nesting habitat