Loggerhead sea turtle

Loggerhead sea turtle Temporal range: 40–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Eocene - Recent[1]
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[3]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Chelonioidea
Family:	Cheloniidae
Subfamily:	Carettinae
Genus:	Caretta Rafinesque, 1814
Species:	C. caretta
Binomial name
Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)
Loggerhead sea turtle range according to the Food and Agriculture Organization Species synonymy Testudo caretta Linnaeus, 1758 Testudo cephalo Schneider, 1783 Testudo nasicornis Lacépède, 1788 Testudo caouana Lacépède, 1788 Chelone caretta — Brongniart, 1805 Chelonia caouanna Schweigger, 1812 Caretta nasuta Rafinesque, 1814 Chelonia cavanna Oken, 1816 Caretta atra Merrem, 1820 Caretta cephalo — Merrem, 1820 Caretta nasicornis — Merrem, 1820 Chelonia caretta — Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1828 Testudo corianna Gray, 1831 Chelonia pelasgorum Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833 Chelonia cephalo — Gray, 1829 Chelonia (Caretta) cephalo — Lesson in Bélanger, 1834 Chelonia caouanna — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Chelonia (Thalassochelys) caouana — Fitzinger, 1836 Chelonia (Thalassochelys) atra — Fitzinger, 1836 Thalassochelys caretta — Bonaparte, 1838 Chelonia (Caouanna) cephalo — Cocteau in Cocteau & Bibron in de la Sagra, 1838 Halichelys atra — Fitzinger, 1843 Caounana caretta — Gray, 1844 Caouana elongata Gray, 1844 Thalassochelys caouana — Agassiz, 1857 Thalassochelys corticata Girard, 1858 Chelonia corticata — Strauch, 1862 Thalassochelys elongata Strauch, 1862 Thalassochelys caouana Nardo, 1864 Eremonia elongata — Gray, 1873 Caretta caretta — Stejneger, 1873 Thalassochelys cephalo — Barbour & Cole, 1906 Caretta caretta caretta — Mertens & L. Müller, 1928 Caretta gigas Deraniyagala, 1933 Caretta caretta gigas — Deraniyagala, 1939 Caretta caretta tarapacana Caldwell, 1962 Chelonia cahuano — Tamayo, 1962 Caretta careta [sic] Tamayo, 1962 (ex errore)[4] Genus synonymy Caretta Rafinesque, 1814 Caretta (Thalassochelys) Fitzinger, 1835 Thalassochelys Bonaparte, 1838 Caouana Cocteau in de la Sagra, 1838 Halichelys Fitzinger, 1843 Eremonia Gray, 1873  ?Pliochelys Portis, 1890  ?Proganosaurus Portis, 1890[5]

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) in carapace length when fully grown. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kg (298 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 450 kg (1,000 lb). The skin ranges from yellow to brown in color, and the shell is typically reddish brown. No external differences in sex are seen until the turtle becomes an adult, the most obvious difference being the adult males have thicker tails and shorter plastrons (lower shells) than the females.

The loggerhead sea turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It spends most of its life in saltwater and estuarine habitats, with females briefly coming ashore to lay eggs. The loggerhead sea turtle has a low reproductive rate; females lay an average of four egg clutches and then become quiescent, producing no eggs for two to three years. The loggerhead reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years.

The loggerhead sea turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Its large and powerful jaws serve as an effective tool for dismantling its prey. Young loggerheads are exploited by numerous predators; the eggs are especially vulnerable to terrestrial organisms. Once the turtles reach adulthood, their formidable size limits predation to large marine animals, such as large sharks.

The loggerhead sea turtle is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In total, nine distinct population segments are under the protection of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, with four population segments classified as "threatened" and five classified as "endangered".^[6] Commercial international trade of loggerheads or derived products is prohibited by CITES Appendix I. Untended fishing gear is responsible for many loggerhead deaths. The greatest threat is loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings.^[7] Turtles may also suffocate if they are trapped in fishing trawls. Turtle excluder devices have been implemented in efforts to reduce mortality by providing an escape route for the turtles. Loss of suitable nesting beaches and the introduction of exotic predators have also taken a toll on loggerhead populations. Efforts to restore their numbers will require international cooperation, since the turtles roam vast areas of ocean and critical nesting beaches are scattered across several countries.