Olive Ridley

From Freepedia

Olive Ridley
Conservation status: Endangered

Image:Olive ridley sea turtle laying eggs.jpg
An Olive ridley sea turtle laying eggs

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Cheloniidae
Genus:	Lepidochelys
Species:	olivacea

Binomial name

Lepidochelys olivacea
(Eschscholtz, 1829)

The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is one of the smallest species of sea turtle. It is named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell.

These lightly-built turtles have an average weight just over 100 lb. They have a high-domed shell, with a carapace length of only 27 inches. The carapace is made up of five pairs of costal scutes, with occurrences of up to 6 to 9 divisions per side. The margins are smooth. The carapace is a dark olive green in color with a yellowish underside. The head is large.

Olive Ridleys are omnivorous, feeding on crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, sea grasses, algae, snails, and fish. They are sometimes seen feeding on jellyfish in shallow waters. These turtles forage offshore in surface waters and can dive to depths of at least 150 meters (500 feet).

Though listed by the US Endangered Species Act, populations in the Atlantic Ocean continue to dwindle, while the populations found in areas around the Pacific Ocean seem to be on the rise.