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Species↕ | Scientific Name↕ | Max Shell Length (cm)↕ | Habitat↕ | Lifespan (years)↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Galapagos Giant Tortoise | Chelonoidis nigra complex | 150 | Galapagos Islands | 175+ | Lonesome George, Darwin's evolution insight, largest living tortoise species |
Leatherback Sea Turtle | Dermochelys coriacea | 180 | Open ocean, global | 45-50 | Largest turtle species (900 kg), dives to 1280 m, soft leathery shell, jellyfish diet |
Green Sea Turtle | Chelonia mydas | 150 | Tropical and subtropical seas | 80+ | Named for green fat (not shell), seagrass grazer, major nesting beaches in Costa Rica |
Hawksbill Sea Turtle | Eretmochelys imbricata | 90 | Tropical coral reefs | 50-60 | Beautiful overlapping shell scutes, critically endangered, sponge specialist |
Loggerhead Sea Turtle | Caretta caretta | 120 | Temperate and tropical oceans | 50-65 | Massive head and powerful jaws, crushes conchs, longest migration of any sea turtle |
Alligator Snapping Turtle | Macrochelys temminckii | 80 | Southeastern US rivers | 80-120 | Worm-like tongue lure, 1000+ PSI bite, prehistoric dinosaur appearance, largest freshwater turtle in N. America |
Common Snapping Turtle | Chelydra serpentina | 50 | Eastern North America, freshwater | 30-50 | Aggressive on land, powerful bite, cannot fully retract into shell, omnivorous scavenger |
Aldabra Giant Tortoise | Aldabrachelys gigantea | 120 | Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles | 200+ | Jonathan the tortoise (born c. 1832, oldest living land animal), island ecosystem engineer |
Red-Eared Slider | Trachemys scripta elegans | 30 | Freshwater ponds, global invasive | 20-40 | World's most popular pet turtle, red stripe behind eye, invasive in 5 continents |
Eastern Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina | 20 | Eastern US forests and meadows | 50-100 | Hinged plastron closes completely, stays in tiny home range entire life, omnivore |
Painted Turtle | Chrysemys picta | 25 | North American freshwater | 25-50 | Most widespread native turtle in N. America, colorful red and yellow shell margins |
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle | Lepidochelys olivacea | 70 | Tropical oceans worldwide | 50+ | Mass nesting events (arribadas) with thousands arriving simultaneously, smallest sea turtle |
Radiated Tortoise | Astrochelys radiata | 40 | Southern Madagascar | 100+ | Stunning star-burst shell pattern, critically endangered, Madagascar endemic |
Mata Mata Turtle | Chelus fimbriata | 45 | Amazon and Orinoco basins | 30-40 | Bizarre leaf-like camouflage head, suction feeding, looks like a pile of debris |
Softshell Turtle (Spiny) | Apalone spinifera | 50 | North American rivers and lakes | 25-50 | Leathery flexible shell, snorkel-like nose, fastest swimming freshwater turtle |
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle | Lepidochelys kempii | 65 | Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic | 50+ | Rarest sea turtle, nests almost exclusively in Tamaulipas Mexico, daytime-only nester |
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