Key Largo Turtles

[Strima77]

Friday we dived shallow on Elbow Reef and saw the green sea turtle. On Sat we did 2 dives on the Spiegel Grove and saw the big turtle, but not sure what kind, didn't think it was another green - can anybody tell if this is a loggerhead, leatherback, etc? Sorry the viz isn't better on that one. thanks!

 

[iamrushman]

looks like a green turtle...no barnacles and no ridges at it's tail.....nice pics... to small for leather back or loggerhead.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

I dunno, the head on the second one looks like a loggerhead to me.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Second looks like a loggerhead to me, the first a green.

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[jet126]

Second looks like a loggerhead to me, the first a green.

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I concur with Jenny. This first is a green, the second is a loggerhead.

 

[iamrushman]

yep....#2 looks like a loggerhead.....has barnacles on shell...i heard green turtles like a good clean shell.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Yes, but they can be plagued with some weird long named disease that I can't pronounce or spell, that almost looks like barnacles...

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[reefman]

Second looks like a loggerhead to me, the first a green.

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your id's are correct. here's a link on fibropapilloma from the marathon turtle hospital. haven't observed tumors on any turtles in sometime,,,,,,


The Turtle Hospital



reefman
key largo

 

[iamrushman]

o i c....FIBROPAPILLOMA..........Fibropapilloma looks like large warts with a "cauliflower" texture that grow on all the soft tissue areas of a sea turtle, including the eyes and mouth, it can also grow through the carapace and plastron. Unfortunately in some cases the growths or tumors, as they are also called, can grow internally on the lungs, kidneys, liver and intestines. The coloration can be pink, white or black and can range in size from less than a centimeter to as large as a football, the largest tumor recorded at The Turtle Hospital weighed over 3 pounds.


wow...interesting

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

nasty stuff..