Turtles House

Description

sea turtles, air-breathing reptiles with streamlined bodies and large flippers, are well adapted to life in the marine environment. They inhabit tropical and subtropical ocean waters throughout the world. Of the seven species of sea turtles, six are found in U.S. waters: green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and olive ridley.

Although sea turtles live most of their lives in the ocean, adult females must return to beaches on land to lay their eggs. They often migrate long distances between foraging grounds and nesting beaches.

Behavior

sea turtles spend most of their lives in the water, where not much information can be gathered on their behavior. Most of what is known about sea turtles behavior is obtained by observing hatchlings and females that leave the water to lay eggs. When females come to the shore they dig out a nest in the ground with their back flippers, lay eggs in it, cover it up and go back to the ocean. After hatching, the young may take as long as a week to dig themselves out of the nest. They emerge at night, move toward the ocean and remain there, solitary, until it is time to mate.

Threats

Human activity has greatly reduced the sea turtles population through capture, harvesting of eggs, alteration and destruction of nesting beaches, ocean pollution, and fishing and shrimp nets.

Reproduction

Adult female sea turtles return to the beach where they were born to lay up to 200 soft-shelled eggs in the sand. When the baby turtles hatch, they immediately head for the nearby water. Many young turtles are eaten by birds and other predators during this difficult trip. It has been estimated that only 1% of these hatchlings will reach adulthood. No one knows how the females find the beach where they were born.

Life Cycle

Most sea turtles return to the beach where they themselves hatched, often travelling hundreds of kilometres to do so. Because their bodies are well developed to a life in the sea, sea turtles move slowly and with difficulty on land. The females drag themselves up the beach to find a spot to dig a hole in which to lay their eggs. It is a long, slow process as each female lays several hundred eggs that look a bit like ping pong balls, then fills in the hole and returns exhausted to the sea. When the eggs hatch, the tiny hatchlings dig out of the sand and dash for the sea. There are many birds, crabs and animals waiting to grab them as they make their way to the sea, where other predators are waiting also. These are natural hazards. Only about 1% of all hatchlings reach adulthood.

Description

The variability of cuora trifasciata sensu lato is analyzed. The data clearly indicate that geographic isolation has resulted in distinct populations within this species, leading to the description here of the genetically and morphologically distinct species Cuora cyclornata, sp. nov., found from south-central Vietnam to western Guangxi Province, China and its subspecies Cuora cyclornata meieri, ssp. nov. restricted to northern Vietnam and western Guangxi Province, China. The holotype of cuora trifasciata sensu stricto is herein identified, redescribed and genetically assigned to its locality of origin. Other genetically and morphologically distinct forms are discussed but for lack of sufficient data are not taxonomically described here. An overview of the literature, distribution, habitat and vulnerability of cuora trifasciata and Cuora cyclornata are given.

Habitat

Mell (1922) collected cuora trifasciata in clear mountain streams at elevations of 50 to 400 m in southern Guangdong, but it probably occurs in other aquatic situations. Captives frequently bask and are often quite terrestrial, so this species probably spends much time on land.

Diet

Omnivorous. Frogs, crabs, worms, fruits, vegetation and carrion. Captives do well on a fish diet

Plastron

Dark with yellow border and front, and underside of the marginals yellow or orange with occasional black spots. Hinged plastron allows the turtles to close up its shell like a box.