Evolution Of A Sea Turtle

What Is a Sea Turtle

The "Chelonioidea" aka the Sea Turtle is a large marine reptile that has scaly skin and a large letheary shell on its back. They are the world's oldest species, and are all currently endsrged except for one (The Australian Flatback). They live for about 80 years, and are one of the Earth's oldest species.

Where Can You Find It

Sea turtles can be found in the tropical reigons such as the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Sea turtles also migrate very long distances to eat. Some even migrate to the Long Island Sound.

Reproduction Process

Sea Turtles take weeks to mate with a partner, and in the end only the female comes up to lay the eggs. They are usually laid when it gets really warm out and about 160 are laid in the sand. Depending on the temperature it can determine the gender. If its over 85 degrees it will become female, and 85 and lower will be mostly male. However most don't make it to adulthood because they are left alone to fend for themselves, and are killed by predators.

Early Ansectors of the Sea Turtle

Sea turtles come from the early turtle the Proganochelys they now are extinct and lived about 205 million years ago. This turtle lived during the late Triassic period. This turtle had toed feet, phaltal teeth, a spikey neck, clubbed like tail and a heavy shell. Turtle prior to these are simply hypothesised because no one has found them

First turtle to live on land.

Intermidiate Turtles (Important)

Intermidiate Turtles (Important)

Cryptodire family - Kayentachelys - Early Jurassic - one of the first to have teeth

Pleurodira family: Were restricted to the southern hemisphere, lived on both land and sea

Diffrences Between Intemediate and Modern Turtle Adaptations

Intermediate vs Modern

Turtles back in the day, had a rough exterior shell that helped protect from predators. They had long necks and sharp jaws as well. They also had very sharp teeth that would help hunt prey. Current day turtles still have the hard shell but do not posess sharp teeth. Turtle have turned mostly herbivorus. Modern turtles also have the abilityb to withstand saltwater while ancestors could not.

Modern Relatives

Modern Relatives of the Sea Turtle

Crocodile:

• Scaly body
• Huge Jaw
• Big sharp teeth
• Eyes, Ears, Nose on top of head
• Small flaps of skin to protect the ear from water getting into it
• Muscles in nose protect water from entering
• Eyelids offer eyes protection from diving, and subsrances in water
• Can hold breath for a prolonged amount of time

Enviormental conditions that influenced adaptation

Enviormental conditions that influenced adaptation

Turtles had to adapt to water condidtions because of the lack of prey for them on land. They also needed to feed off of plants due to this. Freshwater most likely became overpopulated which led to sea turtle moving to saltwater causing the adaptation of salt glands.

Timeline

Timeline of Turtle Evolution

Fun Facts

Fun Facts!

- When its time for a female turtle to lay eggs, they return to the exact spot where they were born

- The salt glands turtles have make it look like they are crying

- Sea turtle can hold their breath for up to 5 hours underwater

Works Cited

Works Cited

Sartore, Joel. “Green Sea Turtle.” National Geographic, 11 Apr. 2010, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/g/green-sea-turtle/.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Reproduction.” Animals: Explore. Discover. Connect., seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/sea-turtles/reproduction.

“How Long Do Sea Turtles Live? And Other Sea Turtles Facts.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org

Works Cited

Works Cited

“Sea Turtle Threats.” SEE Turtles, www.seeturtles.org/sea-turtles-threats/.

US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Endangered Ocean: Sea Turtles.” Ocean Today, 5 July 2011, oceantoday.noaa.gov/endoceanseaturtles/.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. “Habitat & Distribution.” Animals: Explore. Discover. Connect., seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-infobooks/sea-turtles/habitat-and-distribution.