The “green” name refers to the color of body fat, not the shell.
COMPLETE SPECIES PROFILE
Green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas
One species, many connections.
Also known as: green turtle, honu
WHY IT MATTERS
One species, many connections.
Grazing can influence seagrass meadows, while migrations connect distant reefs, coasts, and beaches.
- Scientific name
- Chelonia mydas
- Animal group
- Vertebrate · Reptilia
- Environment
- Marine
PUBLIC-DOMAIN VISUAL RECORDS
Two additional perspectives
Together with the primary image, these records show behavior and habitat without covering the photographs with labels.
INTERACTIVE TAXONOMY
Interactive classification
Select any rank to understand what the classification means.
DID YOU KNOW?
Curiosities that reveal how it lives
Females return to sandy beaches to lay eggs.
Hatchlings use natural light cues to move toward the ocean.
Adults can migrate across entire ocean regions.
Where it lives
Tropical and subtropical coasts, seagrass beds, reefs, and nesting beaches.
How it lives
Adults feed mainly on seagrasses and algae; younger turtles eat a broader variety of foods.
Key adaptations
Streamlined shell, powerful flippers, long migrations, and the ability to navigate between feeding and nesting areas.
Its connections
Grazing can influence seagrass meadows, while migrations connect distant reefs, coasts, and beaches.
Pressures and protection
Bycatch, vessel strikes, plastic, coastal lighting, beach development, poaching, and climate change.