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Spiny Softshell Turtle (female) photographed at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge.
Credit: Ken Sturm/USFWS
Sea turtles are among the oldest creatures on earth and have remained essentially unchanged for 110 million years.The loggerhead sea turtle is the world's largest hard-shelled turtle and can weigh up to 1500 lbs.
Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii or Testudines characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. "Turtle" may either refer to the order as a whole, or to particular Turtle which make up a form taxon that is not monophyletic.
The order Chelonii or Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known turtles date from 220 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards, snakes or crocodiles. Of the many species alive today, some are highly endangered.
Like other reptiles, turtles are ectotherms—their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment, commonly called cold-blooded. However, leatherback sea turtles have noticeably higher body temperature than surrounding water because of their high metabolic rate.
Like other amniotes (reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals), they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. The largest turtles are aquatic.
I noticed this snapping turtle as I was driving into my neighborhood. It looked like she was trying to find a place to lay her eggs, but when I came back later, I didn't see any.
Found this guy crossing Transit Rd near Lossen at 2PM. Stoped and picked him up before he became a member of the road kill gang. Took him home cleaned him off and after almost loosing a finger turned him loose in Caz creek.
Susanne Heid
Tenerife, Canary Islands
SeaLife DC1400 underwater camera
SeaLife has been granted the rights to this image.
Terrapene carolina bauri
A Florida Box Turtle seen at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, (Okeechobee County)
I've rescued several box turtles from the highway over the years. I usually just let them go in the back yard. When I see a box turtle in the yard I wonder whether it's one I found on the road or whether it just wandered in from somewhere.
Trachemys scripta scripta, scattata all Orto Botanico di Palermo.
Questo piccolo animale è nativo della Florida ed è probabilmente il tipo di tartaruga più invasivo del mondo, studi più recenti hanno però dimostrato che la sua diffusione non dipende dalla maggiore adattabilità rispetto alle specie autoctone ma dal fatto che un numero continuo ne viene rilasciato in libertà dall'uomo che la acquista come animale da compagnia e la rilascia nei corsi d'acqua quando diventa troppo grande.
Addirittura le uova deposte difficilmente arrivano a schiudersi nel nostro clima che è più freddo di quello per cui s è evoluta questa specie, solo un esemplare già adulto riesce a sopravvivere.
Eastern box turtles have a Eastern box turtles have a high, dome-like carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. The carapace can be of variable coloration, but is normally found brownish or black and is accompanied by a yellowish or orangish radiating pattern of lines, spots or blotches. Skin coloration, like that of the shell, is variable, but is usually brown or black with some yellow, orange, red, or white spots or streaks. This coloration closely mimics that of the winter leaf of the tulip poplar. In some isolated populations, males may have blue patches on their cheeks, throat, and front legs. Furthermore, males normally possess red eyes (irises) whereas females usually display brown eyes. Eastern box turtles feature a sharp, horned beak, stout limbs, and their feet are webbed only at the base. Eastern box turtles have 5 toes on each front leg, and normally 4 toes on each hind leg, although some individuals may possess 3 toes on each hind leg. Staying small in size, most range from 4.5 to 6 inches, but occasionally reach over 7 inches. In the wild, box turtles are known to live over 100 years, but in captivity, often live much shorter lives. Virtually all turtles have a covering of scutes, or modified scales, over the bony shell. The number, size, form,and position of these scutes can help in identifying the turtle. Only in the soft-shelled turtles and leatherback sea turtles are obvious scutes absent, leaving skin to cover the bones.
Eastern Box Turtle in Florida
Eastern box turtles have many uniquely identifying characteristics which separate them from North American tortoises and water turtles. While the female's plastron is flat, in males it is concave so the male may fit over the back end of the female's carapace during mating. The front and back of the plastron are connected by a flexible hinge. When in danger, the turtle is able to close the plastron by pulling the hinged sections closely against the carapace, effectively sealing the soft body in bone. The shell is made of bone covered by living vascularized tissue and covered with a layer of keratin. This shell is connected to the body through its fused rib cage which makes the shell permanently attached and not removable.