绿海龟Chelonia mydas
地方名：海龟
形态特征：体型大，背甲长700～1000mm。背甲橄榄色或棕色，杂有黄白色放射纹；腹甲黄色。头背具对称大鳞，前额鳞1对。背甲呈心形，盾片镶嵌排列；椎盾5枚；肋盾4对，第一对肋盾不与颈盾相接，缘盾11对。腹甲前后缘圆出，前端中央有一枚三角形的咽间盾。四肢桨状，覆以大鳞，内侧各具1～2爪，前肢的爪大而弯曲呈钩状。尾短，雄性者较长。
生活习性：终生生活于海水中，以鱼、甲壳动物、软体动物以及海藻等为食物。在我国西沙群岛，每年4—10月为海龟繁殖期，雌性绿海龟到沿海沙滩掘穴产卵，每次产卵90～160粒。卵白色，球形，卵径34～45mm。在自然条件下40～50天孵出仔龟。雌海龟一年可产卵数次。
地理分布：广泛分布于太平洋、印度洋及大西洋温水水域。我国北起山东、辽宁沿海，南至北部湾均有发现。
环渤海地区分布：辽宁沿海，山东沿海。
生存状况：极度濒危（CR）；国家Ⅱ级保护动物。
Testudines Cheloniidae Chelonia
23.Chelonia mydas
Description Large bodies, adult carapace up to 700-1,000mm.The carapace is olive or brown, with yellow and white rays; plastron is yellow; head and carapace have symmetrically big scales; one pair of prefrontal scales; the carapace is heart-shaped, and scutes are embedded; five vertebral scutes; four pairs of costal scutes, and the first pair are unconnected with nuchal scutes, eleven pairs of marginal scutes; front edge and rear edge of the plastron are round and protruded, intergular scutes are triangle shape on the front central plastron; paddle-like limbs, covered with big scales; 1-2 claws on both insides;front appendages are big, curved and in hook shape; the tail is short; males' tails are longer than females.
Behaviour They live in the oceans, and they feed on fishes, crustaceans, mollucs and seaweeds.April to October is the breeding season, they move to the coastal beach to dig caves and lay eggs 90-160 every time in Xisha Islands in China.The eggs are white and round, 34-45mm in diameter.The eggs are hatched in the natural surroundings during 40-50 days.
Distribution In the warm water fields of Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean; also up to coastal areas in Liaoning, Shandong, and down to Beibu Gulf in China.Distribution around Bohai Sea: in Liaoning and Shandong.
Conservation Critically Endangered (CR), Level II of National Protection animal.