Species Native - Research Paper Example

Native Species Submitted by: Submitted and Native Species- Green Sea Turtles This paper describes native species, green sea turtles, which are found in Texas. Biome and biological classification have been described, along with an illustration of physical characteristics, food, and life span. Location “In Texas, green sea turtles are found in the Gulf of Mexico. They occasionally visit the Texas coast”, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife (2012, para.10). Biome Classification Green sea turtles (see fig.1), or honu (pronounced hoe-new), are those shelled reptiles that live in the ocean.

These turtles are one of the oldest species which has seen the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs.Biological ClassificationKingdom AnamaliaPhylum Chordata (vertebrates) Class Reptilia (reptiles)Order Chelonia (turtles and tortoises) Family Cheloniidae (true sea turtles) Genus CheloniaSpecies mydas (Green Sea Turtles, n.d.)Physical Characteristics Green sea turtles have scales on their bodies like many other reptiles. Their green color is because of the algae or limu they eat.

An adult green sea turtle weighs over 500 pounds. Like all other turtle species, green sea turtles possess a hard structure called shell, whose function is to provide protection to the turtle from predators. The part of the shell that is on the dorsal (back) side is known as the carapace (Green Sea Turtles, n.d.). This portion is heart shaped, and is as long as 5 feet. It is covered with large scales which are called scutes. The ventral part of the shell that covers the belly is known as the plastron.

The dorsal and ventral parts are connected to each other at the sides through hard-shelled plates which are known as lateral bridges. The connection between the carapace and plastron breaks at the openings for the head, tail and limbs. The difference between green sea turtles, land turtles and tortoises is that green sea turtles are not able to retract their small heads into the shell for extra protection. The shells of green sea turtles are very light weight and are more developed as compared to shells of land turtles.

The limbs seem like flippers that help them swim long distances in less time, making them refined swimmers.Food Adult turtles are herbivorous in nature. This characteristic makes them harmless to other animals living under water with them like fish. They hold bacteria in their guts, and depend on them for digestion of plant food. This is the case with adult turtles only. Young turtles are carnivorous. They feed on jellyfish and other little invertebrates. The dorsal surface of the shell or the carapace is dark brown in color but it gets covered with patches of algae on which fish feeds.

Life Span The exact lifespan of green sea turtles is still unknown. They grow very slowly. The growth is so slow that they take 10 to 50 years to be able to become sexually mature to reproduce (Bredeson, 2007). The average age of maturity is 25 years. Due to this long lifespan and period of maturity, green sea turtles take too many years to recover from a significant population decline.Fig.1. Green Sea TurtleReferencesBredeson, C. (2007). Fun Facts about Turtles. USA: Enslow Publishers, Inc.Green Sea Turtles. (n.d.). Biology and natural history.

Retrieved from http://www.earthtrust.org/wlcurric/turtles.htmlTexas Parks and Wildlife. Distribution. Green Sea Turtle. Retrieved from http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/greentur/