Green turtles primarily use vision to detect plants and prey and use visual displays when communicating, such as during mating.
Green turtles primarily use vision to detect plants and other prey and use visual displays when communicating. Females use two displays to communicate with males whether or not they wish to mate.
Female green sea turtles will show approval of a mate by being completely submissive when being mounted by the male.
Females will clearly reject a male by either swimming away with their hind legs closed or biting a male if he gets too close. Female green turtles also have a “refusal” position, which consists of floating upward having their plastron facing the male and extending all limbs.
Sources: (Hersh, 2016; Hirth, 1997; Lohmann, Swartz, & Lohmann, 1996)
Image: Jeremy Bishop
