Green Sea Turtle vs Variegated Foam Lichen

Chelonia mydas compared with Stereocaulon vesuvianum

Key Differences

• Green Sea Turtle is Endangered while Variegated Foam Lichen is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Green Sea Turtle	Variegated Foam Lichen
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Testudines (Turtles & Tortoises)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)	Stereocaulaceae
Genus	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)	Stereocaulon
Species	Chelonia mydas	Stereocaulon vesuvianum

Conservation Status

Green Sea Turtle

EN — Endangered

Population: ~85.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Variegated Foam Lichen

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Green Sea Turtle	Variegated Foam Lichen
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.

Variegated Foam Lichen

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.