Green Sea Turtle
Endangered Sea Turtle basking in the morning sun on the Kohala Coast, Hawaii.The green sea turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle. Adults of this species commonly reach 100 cm in carapace length and 150 kg in mass. The average size of a female nesting at the French Frigate Shoals was reported in 1980 to be 92 cm straight carapace length, with an average body mass of 115 kg. This is somewhat smaller than her Atlantic cousin.
Hatchling green turtles weigh about 25 g (about a handful of Smarties) and have a carapace about 50 mm long. Hatchlings are black on top and white underneath. The plastron of the Hawaiian green turtle becomes orange or yellowish orange, and the carapace remains predominantly black with various shades of olive and yellowish gold forming swirls and irregular patterns on their shells. A small number of adult females (perhaps 3%) possess predominantly brown carapaces, with patterns of yellow, gold, and reddish brown.
Uploaded on May 23, 2010