Green Sea Turtle vs West Indian Manatee

Chelonia mydas compared with Trichechus manatus

Key Differences

• Green Sea Turtle is Endangered while West Indian Manatee is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Green Sea Turtle	West Indian Manatee
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Testudines (Turtles & Tortoises)	Sirenia (Sirenia)
Family	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)	Trichechidae
Genus	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)	Trichechus
Species	Chelonia mydas	Trichechus manatus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Green Sea Turtle

EN — Endangered

Population: ~85.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

West Indian Manatee

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Green Sea Turtle	West Indian Manatee
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.

West Indian Manatee

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.