Tortoise & Turtles | Terrapins ?
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Tortoises and turtles are almost pretty much the same. Their bodies are actually sandwiched between the upper and the lower shell called "Carapace" and "Plastron" respectively ( made up of calcium carbonate in marine animals and keratin in terrestrial animals ). These both are joined together at 'bridges' between limbs and around it's neck. So it can never actually come out of it's shell without breakage. They have been on earth since 210 million years. (from before the dinosaurs)
Their vertebrate column is completely joined into it's carapace except the tail and neck parts. Also their .shoulder bones are inside of their rib cage. They have no teeth, and a bird - like beak sturdy and bent and pointed in some species
Those which live on land mostly are tortoises. The have a heavy dome shaped shell. Their legs are wide, broad and strong like elephants and they have toes. They have longer necks in order to reach the leaves and branches of plants. They are all herbivores. Their average lifespan is about 60 to 80 yrs. They dig burrows in lands, which are homes to about a range of 100 other animals !!!
Their burrows are about 50ft long divided into further more multiple channels, tunnels etc.
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| Chelonoidis Niger, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise is the largest extant tortoise on earth, growing up to 5 feet in length and weighing about 227 kilograms !! |
Those that live mostly in water and come on to the land for laying eggs are turtles. Turtles that live seas and oceans are sea turtles. Their legs are developed into flippers with webbed feet. It has long claws and a streamlined body. They are magneto - receptive, they locate themselves using the earth's magnetic fields and have magnetite in their heads like pigeons. They lay eggs on the shores and swim back into the sea. Their offspring are photo - tactic meaning that their offspring's' gender is determined by the temperature of the surroundings. The global warming of earth by humans has posed them with s critical situation with eggs and babies growing into females. As of now for every twenty female tortoise there is only one male tortoise. They also feel their shells.
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| The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of all extant turtles measuring 9 feet in length and weighing around 800kgs !! |
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