List of reptiles of the Atlantic Ocean

The reptiles that inhabit the Atlantic Ocean include six species of sea turtles. ^[1] In addition, two species of crocodiles regularly venture into saltwater thanks to lingual glands that allow them to excrete salt. ^{[2] [3]}

Finally, some other species of crocodilians, caimans, and alligators that live in the freshwater and brackish coastal waters of the Americas and Africa can temporarily enter the saltwater of the Atlantic Ocean. ^[4]

Order: Testudines

Family: Dermochelyidae

Leatherback sea turtle.

• Genus: Dermochelys
  • Leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriaceaVU

Family: Cheloniidae

Loggerhead sea turtle.

• Genus: Caretta
  • Loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta carettaVU

• Genus: Chelonia
  • Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydasLC

• Genus: Eretmochelys
  • Hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricataCR

• Genus: Lepidochelys
  • Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys kempiiCR
  • Olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivaceaVU

Order: Crocodilia

Family: Crocodylidae

American crocodile.

• Genus: Crocodylus
  • American crocodile, Crocodylus acutusVU
  • Nile crocodile, Crocodylus niloticusLC

See also

• List of mammals of the Atlantic Ocean
• List of fishes of the Atlantic Ocean
• List of reptiles of the Mediterranean Sea

References

1. Huang, Hsiang-Wen (12 August 2015). "Conservation Hotspots for the Turtles on the High Seas of the Atlantic Ocean". PLOS ONE. 10 (8) e0133614. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1033614H. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133614 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   4534298 . PMID   26267796.
2. Platt, Steven G.; Thorbjarnarson, John B.; Rainwater, Thomas R.; Martin, David R. (March 2013). "Diet of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Marine Environments of Coastal Belize". Journal of Herpetology. 47 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1670/12-077. ISSN   0022-1511.
3. Leslie, Alison J; Spotila, James R (1 July 2000). "Osmoregulation of the Nile crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus, in Lake St. Lucia, Kwazulu/Natal, South Africa". Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology. 126 (3): 351–365. doi:10.1016/S1095-6433(00)00215-4. ISSN   1095-6433. PMID   10964030.
4. Taplin, Laurence; Grigg, Gordon C.; Beard, Lyn A (January 1985). "Salt gland function in fresh water crocodiles: Evidence for a marine phase in Eusuchian evolution?". The Biology of Australasian Frogs and Reptiles.