So how many turtles are there? How do I know how many species of sea turtles are there? There are several different types of box turtles around the world, but only a few are commonly kept as pets. Alien species are species that are not native to an area, but they still live there. The leatherback looks very different from the other species and is the only sea turtle species in its own family, Dermochelyidae. Hawksbill turtles feed on sponges and have an amazing ability to digest the needle-like skeleton of these animals. In Australia, all six species of marine turtles that occur in our waters are protected under the Australian Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBCAct) and various State and Northern Territory legislation. There exist more than 300 different species of turtles in the world, with the largest being the leatherback sea turtle – with an average shell length of 6.6 ft and weight of 2,000 lb, and the smallest being the speckled padloper tortoise – … Green turtles weigh up to 350 pounds. Six of the seven species are considered endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 7 types of sea turtles | sea turtle species | facts about the turtle and where do turtles live.Not all sea turtles out there are the same! The leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley turtle are each liste… Nearly all species of marine turtles are endangered, as well as many of their freshwater brethren like the Yangtze turtle. The green sea turtle was listed in the United States under the Endangered Species Act as endangered in 1978. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is large, with a carapace of up to 3 feet long. Six of the turtles are found in the major oceans, but the flatback turtle is confined to the Western Indo-Pacific. Green turtles live in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Flatback. Of all of the types of turtle, this turtle is the largest of them all. Green Turtle. Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. Green turtles are an endangered species around the world, but they still nest in increasing numbers on the east coast of Florida. They typically do not mind the presence of other turtles in their vicinity. Kemp's ridley turtles prefer to eat benthic organisms such as crabs. They are found only in the coastal waters of Australia. Most species of tortoises lay small clutch sizes, seldom exceeding 20 eggs, and many species have clutch sizes of only 1–2 eggs. Size: 3-5 feet long and weighs 200-500 lbs. Out of the seven species of sea turtles in the world, 4 species come to nest on beaches in Malaysia. These all look fairly similar when compared to the seventh species, the leatherback. These turtles have a beautiful tortoiseshell pattern on their carapace and have been hunted nearly to extinction for their shells. Pet Tortoise Species. There are seven different species of sea turtles, six of which -- green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and the olive ridley can be found throughout the ocean - in both warm and cool waters. They are generally noisy creatures, but the sounds they make depends on the situation. Status: Endangered. The black sea turtle may also be considered a subspecies of the green turtle. Like the Kemp’s ridley, they are small and weigh less than 100 pounds. Adult green turtles are the only herbivorous sea turtles. Some produce sounds similar to electric motors, belching humans, or barking dogs. They are either sea-dwelling or freshwater Testudines. This is the only sea turtle species not found in the United States. Loggerhead turtles can be 3.5 feet long and weigh up to 400 pounds. There are seven species of sea turtles, including the green, leatherback, loggerhead, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley and flatback sea turtles. There is a good reason for the bizarre appearance of the mata mata turtle: hidden in the mud under water, the up to 53-centimeter-long animals look like algae-covered rocks. There are 7 recognized species of sea turtles, most of which can be found in the United States. There are many different types and varieties of turtles, classified in twelve biological families. There are many different types and varieties of turtles, classified in twelve biological families. Loggerhead. Turtles are classified as members of kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Reptilia, and order Testudines. Out of the seven species of sea turtles around the world, six are classified as threatened or endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.. It grows to 2.5 feet and can weigh as much as 220 lbs. They feed on crabs, mollusks, and jellyfish. Most turtle species are found in southeastern North America and South Asia. At the touch of a button, you can find out how many species of sea turtles are there. Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) are one of the smallest sea turtles, … Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. From leatherbacks to loggerheads, six of the seven species are threatened or endangered at the hand of humans. The Sea Turtle. Despite turtles’ broad distribution, there are not and never seem to have been a great many species of turtles at any time over the course of their long evolutionary history. Each different type and turtle species has its own unique requirements for shelter, food, water source, and even levels of heat and humidity. Many species of turtles such as sliders, Japanese pond turtles, painted turtles, and many others, can stay submerged underwater for extended periods (several months). The Largest and the Smallest Turtle. They are found in large numbers in the waters of Indonesia, the Galápagos Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, East Africa, Gulf of California and the reefs of the Caribbean. Kemp's ridleys are most often found in habitats with sandy or muddy bottoms, where it is easy to find prey. There are fourteen extant families of the order Testudines, an order of reptile commonly known as turtles, tortoises and terrapins.The testudines are some of the most ancient reptiles alive, with only the tuataras considered more primitive. How Many Types Of Cobras Are There? Turtles are very adaptive and can be found on every continent, except Antarctica. All seven species of sea turtles are listed under the Endangered Species Act. There are no turtles in the picture because they are all tortoises. Experts suggest only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. There are many different types of tortoises suited to life as domestic pets. Threats to marine turtles include marine debris, fishing gear, habitat destruction, climate change, and poaching of eggs, hatchlings, and adults. The families of turtles include the leatherback sea turtles, soft-shelled turtles, snapping turtles, and tortoises among others. The seventh species, the flatback, lives only in Australia. It grows to about 3.6 feet and weighs about 309 pounds. There are approximately 300 extant species and 97 genera of testudines, split into two suborders: the Cryptodirans and the Pleurodirans. Size: 3-5 feet long and weighs 200-500 lbs. This family includes the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley turtles. The origin of turtles date back 220 million years ago making them older than both crocodiles and snakes. Which Species Are Most Venomous? All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, The Seven Species Of Sea Turtles Living In The Oceans Of Our Planet. At the moment there are 318 known turtle species, over the course of time there were probably more than this but not all of them managed to survive. They can be found among reefs, rocky areas, mangrove swamps, lagoons, and estuaries. There exist more than 300 different species of turtles in the world, with the largest being the leatherback sea turtle – with an average shell length of 6.6 ft and weight of 2,000 lb, and the smallest being the speckled padloper tortoise – with an average length of 3.1 … Turtles are classified as members of kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Reptilia, and order Testudines. Turtle Species Guide With Caresheets Below you will find a few of the many different types of Turtle Species. Turtles are neither social nor territorial. Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are named for—you guessed it—their olive-colored shell. Leatherback. Their carapace can include shades of black, gray, green, brown, or yellow. There are seven species of sea turtle: Loggerhead, Green, Leatherback, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Kemp's Ridley and Flatback. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Today, there are many calculators for converting one value to another and vice versa. Kemp's Ridley. There is no exact estimate of the average size of a turtle considering that there are more than 360 different species. They feed on jellyfish, salps, crustaceans, squid, and urchins. This is necessary when they need to hibernate during winter when the temperatures drop below freezing and most ponds are covered in a lid of ice. The Leatherback Turtle. Flatback turtles eat squid, sea cucumbers, soft corals, and mollusks. By Victor Kiprop on December 17 2018 in World Facts. The painted turtle is the most widespread turtle in North America. The answer is none. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, C. Allan Morgan/Photolibrary/Getty Images, Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images, Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images, Gerard Soury/Oxford Scientific/Getty Image, Auscape/UIG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images, Animals of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, 5 Fascinating Facts About the Leatherback Sea Turtle, National Parks in Florida: Beaches, Mangrove Swamps, Sea Turtles, M.S., Resource Administration and Management, University of New Hampshire, B.S., Natural Resources, Cornell University. The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle. But when a … Sea Turtle Species. This is not an exhaustive list as there are several subspecies of turtles found in the United States. Instead it only has flesh and skin. How many species are there? Some scientists classify the green turtle into two species, the green turtle and the black sea turtle or Pacific green sea turtle. This turtle is darker in color and has a smaller head than the green turtle. There are four species of box turtles, all of which sport the characteristic domed shell. Turtle Species Guide With Caresheets Below you will find a few of the many different types of Turtle Species. Foster and Smith, a veterinarian business based in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, most of the remaining species are considered highly endangered. The green sea turtle is another … It is nearly impossible to estimate the exact number of sea turtles because of the limited time they spend on land, but the six species found in the American coast are all endangered. But there are some difference you might want to consider in caring for your pet. Shells are used as protection from weather and predators. WWFs work on sea turtles focuses on five of those species: green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley. Mud turtle, (genus Kinosternon), any of about 18 species of semiterrestrial freshwater turtles belonging to the family Kinosternidae.Mud turtles are found in North and South America from New England to northern Argentina. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. This family of turtle is rather large and can be found in most subtropical and tropical … Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. All turtles have shells that they cannot remove. Leatherbacks look very different from other sea turtles. In order to make filtering easy we have categorized them by different types of turtles including all of your favorites like Sliders, Box Turtles, Snapping Turtles and more! They spend most of their lives in the sea with some diving to more than 3,000 feet, but the occasionally make long journeys to the shore of specific beaches to lay eggs. 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