Green Sea Turtle vs Hammerhead

Chelonia mydas compared with Sphyrna corona

Key Differences

• Green Sea Turtle is Endangered while Hammerhead is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Green Sea Turtle	Hammerhead
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order	Testudines (Turtles & Tortoises)	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)	Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead Sharks)
Genus	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)	Sphyrna (Hammerhead Sharks)
Species	Chelonia mydas	Sphyrna corona

Evolutionary Relationship

Green Sea Turtle and Hammerhead share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Green Sea Turtle

EN — Endangered

Population: ~85.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Hammerhead

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Green Sea Turtle	Hammerhead
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	80 years	—
Average Length	1.2 m	—
Average Weight	200.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Green Sea Turtle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 8 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Mexico. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Hammerhead

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Green Sea Turtle

The green sea turtle is one of the largest sea turtles. They are named for the green color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells.