Righteous!!! RIGHTEOUS! Chelonia Mydas

For the two points I lost on my last blog and for the point or two I may lack for my next blog here is a turtle. This turtle was seen at the aquarium in Charleston, SC and was rescued on the coast. This turtle is part of the family Cheloniidae and this specific turtles is named Franklin and is of the species Chelonia mydas. This turtle is about 40 inches long and has four costal plates on each side of its carapace and one pair of prefrontal plates between its eyes. This turtle is aquatic and lives in the ocean. This turtle lays its eggs on land and the offspring walk back to the water from the beach after hatching using a combination internal magnetic directional detection and light cues of the moon reflecting off of the ocean. This part of a turtles life-cycle is the most vulnerable time. This turtle has flippers so this distinguishes them from most other turtles other than the family Dermochelyidae. Leatherback turtles have 7 prominent keels on their back and has a reduced shell and is generally larger. This turtle migrates so its habitat is vast. This turtle's front limbs are stronger and larger than its back limbs. Their shell is oval and they cannot retract into it and have no hinges on their plastron. This is the turtle shown in Finding Nemo.
Until next time my Herp friends, Hudson Sealey.