What is the scientific name of the Great Barrier Reef’s green sea turtle?

The scientific name of the green sea turtle found on the Great Barrier Reef is Chelonia mydas.

Green sea turtles are one of the marine turtle species living in the Great Barrier Reef region. The species name does not refer to a green shell; it comes from the greenish colour of the turtle’s body fat, which is linked to its diet and helped inspire the common name.

Juvenile green turtles are often more omnivorous, while adults commonly graze on seagrasses and algae. This makes them important consumers in shallow coastal habitats. They also use reef waters, seagrass meadows, and sandy beaches during different stages of their life cycle.

Chelonia mydas is distinct from the loggerhead, hawksbill, and leatherback turtles. Those species also occur in Australian waters, but each has a different scientific name and characteristic shell or feeding pattern.