Green turtles suffer from parasitic trematode eggs, known as flukes, that cause inflammation and death.
Green sea turtles suffer from parasitic trematode eggs known as flukes. These trematodes cause inflamed cardiovascular tissue that infect turtles and commonly result in death. Species of flukes that are found in green turtles include: Learedius leardei, Carettacola hawaiiensis, Hapalotrema dorsopora, and Hapalotrema postorchis.
Sources: (Aguirre, Spraker, Balazs, & Zimmerman, 1998; Aragones, Lawler, Foley, & Marsh, 2006; Hersh, 2016; Santoro & Mattiucci, 2009; Spotila, 2004)
Image: Christian Gloor
