Florida State Reptile and State Saltwater Reptile

By: Christy Mueller

The state reptile of Florida is the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).

The American Alligator was designated the state reptile by Florida legislature in 1987. The alligator was a long time unofficial symbol that originally emblematized Florida's extensive untamed wilderness and swamps.

The state saltwater reptile is the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).

As of July 1, 2008, the Loggerhead sea turtle is the official state saltwater reptile. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has found that the Loggerhead sea turtle is the most common sea turtle to nest along the coast of Florida. Florida State University School's Middle School Science Honors Class of 2007-08 is credited by the FWC for pursuing the designation of this symbol.

About the American Alligator

❖ Facts❖ Description❖ Habitat❖ Diet❖ Reproduction

● Scientific name: Alligator mississippiensis ● Lifespan: 30-50 years● Weight: 500 lbs (adult male) and up to 1,000 lbs (exceptionally large males)● Length: 10-15 ft. (adult male) 8-10 ft. (adult female) 6-8 in. (hatchling)● Formerly on the verge of extinction, many efforts have revived the species.● Largest Reptile in North America

Facts

Description

● Armored body- skin on the back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms or scutes

● Four short legs with 5 toes on each front leg and 4 toes on back legs● Flat muscular tail● Upward facing nostrils enable them to breathe while the rest of the body is

underwater● Young alligators can be distinguished from adults by

their bright yellow stripes on the tail. Adults have dark stripes.

Habitat

● Freshwater lakes, slow-moving rivers, swamps, and marshes● Found from North Carolina to the Rio Grande in Texas, primarily Florida and

Louisiana. ≈5 million in SE United States ≈1.25 million in Florida● Can only tolerate saltwater for brief periods of time (because they don't have

salt glands)

Diet

● Turtles and snakes● Birds and small mammals that come to the water's edge● Fish, frogs, snails and other invertebrates

Sharp teeth are used to seize and hold prey. Jaws are strong enough to crack a turtle shell.

If the prey is very large, they bite it, then spin on the long axis of their bodies to tear off easily swallowed pieces.

Reproduction

● Both male and females reach sexual maturity when they are about 6 ft. long or 10-12 years old

● Males bellow loudly to attract mates● Courtship starts in April. Mating begins in early May, at night in shallow water● Gestation: 65 day egg incubation ● Females build nests 7-10 ft. (diameter) by 2-3 ft. (height)● Nest temperature (t)>93℉ (33.8℃)=all males t<86℉ (30℃)=all females 86℉

<t<93℉ produce both genders● Hatchlings live with their mother for 2 years

About the Loggerhead Sea Turtle

❖ Facts❖ Description❖ Habitat❖ Diet❖ Reproduction

Facts

● Scientific name: Caretta caretta● Lifespan: unknown but scientists say 50 or more years● Weight: 155-375 lbs Average weight: 200 lbs● Length: 2.5-3.5 ft. (carapace length) 2 in. (hatchling)● Many conservation efforts are working to keep them off of the endangered

species list in the U.S. Currently listed as threatened. On the international endangered list.

Description

● Exceptionally large head with heavy strong jaws (hence the name loggerhead)● Carapace is bony with no ridges and non-overlapping scutes. Heart shaped.

Reddish-brown with a yellowish-brown plastron.● Hatchlings have a dark brown or dark gray carapace. Flippers are brown with

white and yellow margins.● Front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws, rear flippers can have 2 or 3 claws● Adult males can be identified by long tails that extend

past the carapace, and by the narrowing of the carapace toward the rear

Habitat

● Spend most of mature life in hundreds of miles of open ocean● Feed in coastal bays, estuaries, lagoons, salt marshes, and large river mouths● Nest on beaches● Range extends from Newfoundland to as far south as Argentina (Atlantic)● Major threats to life include loss of nesting and foraging habitats, capture in

longline fishing, shrimp trawling, pollution, and human disturbances.

Diet

● Whelks and conch● Horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins, and other invertebrates ● Hatchlings feed on small animals living in sargassum

Reproduction

● Reach sexual maturity around age 35● Nest at intervals of 2-4 years and lay 3-6 nests each season ≈12-14 days apart● Mating begins in coastal waters from late March to early June● 80% of nesting (SE U.S.) occurs in 6 counties of Florida● Lay eggs between late April and and early September on the female’s “natal”

beach. Nesting happens at night. About 100-126 eggs per nest● Egg incubation period is 60 days, hatch between late June to mid-November● Warmer nest temperatures result in majority of females, cooler results in

majority or all males

Other States with the Same Symbols

Louisiana’s state reptile is the American Alligator since 1983.

Mississippi’s state reptile is the American Alligator since 1988.

South Carolina’s state reptile is the Loggerhead Sea Turtle since 2005.

Louisiana and Mississippi have a similar climate as Florida (humid subtropical.) And both have swamps and marshes that are abundant with alligators. South Carolina is a major nesting ground for sea turtles, just like Florida.

Florida vs. Oregon

Florida has a humid subtropical and tropical climate. It is a geologically young, low-lying plain, mostly less than 100 feet above sea level. The coastal lowlands occupy roughly three-fourths of the surface. The region is flat and much of the area is swampy. Sedimentary deposits of sand and limestone cover most of the state. There are many types of forest ecosystems because of the wide variety in climates. Florida landscape is covered by a latticework of 1,700 streams and tens of thousands of lakes. Large marshes are a perfect home for alligators. Florida is a peninsula with sandy beaches and warm waters that are an ideal setup for sea turtles.

Oregon has a mild climate, eastern Oregon is considered semi arid; the western section has a marine west coast climate: and the Cascade region has a highland (alpine) climate. Oregon is mostly a high desert, opposite of Florida’s low plains. Oregon does not have a state reptile. Loggerback sea turtles do live off the coast of Oregon, but the Leatherback turtle is more common. We do not have any American Alligators.

Sources:“American Alligator”. Defenders of Wildlife. 11/19/15. <www.defenders.org> “American Alligator”. National Geographic. 11/18/15. <www.animals.nationalgeographic.com> “American Alligator”.Smithsonian National Zoological Park.11/18/15. <www.nationalzoo.si.edu> “Information About Sea Turtles: Loggerhead Sea Turtle”.Sea Turtle Conservancy. 11/18/15. <www.conserveturtles.org>“Loggerhead Sea Turtle”.Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.11/19/15. <www.ct.gov> “Loggerhead Sea Turtle”.National Wildlife Federation. 11/18/15. <www.nwf.org> “Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)”.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.11/19/15. <www.fws.gov> “Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Caretta caretta”.MarineBio.11/19/15. <www.marinebio.org> “Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)”. NOAA Fisheries.11/18/15. <www.nmfs.noaa.gov> “Loggerhead sea turtle is a new state symbol”.Titusville Florida Area Community Guide. 6/30/08. 11/19/15. <www.nbbd.com> Robert H. Fuson.”Florida”.Encyclopedia Britannica.11/17/15. <www.britannica.com> “State Reptile”. Florida Department of State. 11/18/15. <www.dos.myflorida.com>