Facts about Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is the state reptile of South Carolina. As with other sea turtles, females return to lay their eggs on or near the same beach where they hatched. Unlike other sea turtles, courtship and mating usually do not take place near the nesting beach but rather along the migration routes between feeding and breeding grounds. They are named for their disproportionately large head. The species feeds on molluscs, crustaceans, fish, jellyfish, crabs, shrimp and Portuguese Man o' War and other small to medium-sized marine animals, which they crush with their large and powerful jaws. An alternative to migration for many loggerheads is hibernation to varying degrees as the water cools. Loggerhead turtles have no bones on the tip of their front legs. By February they are submerged for up to seven hours at a time, emerging for only seven minutes to recover. Although outdone by freshwater turtles, these are the longest recorded dives for any air-breathing marine vertebrate. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is the only member of the genus Caretta. The genus name "Caretta" is a latinization of the French "caret", meaning turtle, tortoise, or sea turtle. They can often live past 198.7 years. A loggerhead sea turtle reportedly grows up to 800 lbs (364 kg) and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) long. Their shell color is a reddish brown color, and the color of their skin is brown yellow. Most loggerheads that reach adulthood live for longer than 30 years. A loggerhead mainly feeds on bottom dwelling invertebrates. A loggerheads diet consists of shellfish that live on the bottom of the ocean. They eat horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other invertebrates. Their powerful jaw muscles help them to easily crush the shellfish. Loggerhead Sea Turtles were once intensively hunted for their meat and eggs, along with their fat which was used in cosmetics and medication. The Loggerhead Sea Turtles were also killed for their shells, which are used to make items such as combs. They are immune to the toxins of a Portuguese Man o' War as the turtles have often been seen feeding on them. Loggerhead turtles are the most common sea turtle to nest in the United States. In the Mediterranean, Loggerheads mate from late March to early June. The female nesting season is at its peak in June and July, but this depends on the nesting beach. Their clutch may vary from 70 to 150 eggs. They have an incubation period of 60 days approximately. |
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