Green Sea Turtle vs Long-billed Starthroat

Chelonia mydas compared with Heliomaster longirostris

Key Differences

• Green Sea Turtle is Endangered while Long-billed Starthroat is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Green Sea Turtle	Long-billed Starthroat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Testudines (Turtles & Tortoises)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)	Trochilidae
Genus	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)	Heliomaster
Species	Chelonia mydas	Heliomaster longirostris

Evolutionary Relationship

Green Sea Turtle and Long-billed Starthroat share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Green Sea Turtle

EN — Endangered

Population: ~85.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Long-billed Starthroat

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Green Sea Turtle	Long-billed Starthroat
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.

Long-billed Starthroat

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

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.

Long-billed Starthroat

A large, distinctive hummingbird with an unusually long, straight bill, males display a striking iridescent green gorget with a prominent white post-ocular spot — the starthroat mark that names the species. Found from Mexico through Central America and into tropical South America east of the Andes at elevations up to 1,500 meters. They inhabit forest edges, clearings, and gardens, perching conspicuously on exposed branches at the tops of trees — unusual for hummingbirds that typically forage while hovering.