name: Green Turtle

flavor_db_name_variants: green turtle

source: foodb

status: draft

food_db_id: Green turtle

id: 702

name_scientific: Chelonia mydas

description: The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace. This sea turtle's dorsoventrally flattened body is covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace; it has a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although in the eastern Pacific populations parts of the carapace can be almost black. Unlike other members of its family, such as the hawksbill sea turtle, C. mydas is mostly a herbivorous. The adults usually inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of seagrasses. Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and scramble into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to eighty years in the wild. C. mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them. In addition, many countries have laws and ordinances to protect nesting areas. However, turtles are still in danger because of several human practices. In some countries, turtles and their eggs are hunted for food. Pollution indirectly harms turtles at both population and individual scales. Many turtles die caught in fishing nets. Also, real estate development often causes habitat loss by eliminating nesting beaches.

itis_id: 173833

wikipedia_id: Green sea turtle

picture_file_name: 726.jpg

picture_content_type: image/jpeg

picture_file_size: 71044

picture_updated_at: 2012-04-20T09:39:47.000Z

legacy_id: null

food_group: Aquatic foods

food_subgroup: Other aquatic foods

food_type: Type 1

created_at: 2011-12-14T16:47:40.000Z

updated_at: 2019-05-14T18:05:30.000Z

creator_id: 2

updater_id: 2

export_to_afcdb: false

category: specific

ncbi_taxonomy_id: 8469

export_to_foodb: false

public_id: FOOD00702