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The patterns on the head can be important characters in identifying the various species. The common name "map turtle" is derived from the intricate patterns on their shells that are suggestive of topographical maps, although the patterns are more apparent in some species than others, and often become obscure in older specimens. Some species are ...
Other sea turtle species are smaller, ranging from as little as 60 cm (2 ft) long in the case of the Kemp's ridley, which is the smallest sea turtle species, to 120 cm (3.9 ft) long in the case of the green turtle, the second largest. [5] [12] The skulls of sea turtles have cheek regions that are enclosed in bone.
The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a species of large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada , southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains , as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida .
The midland and southern painted turtles seek especially quiet waters, usually shores and coves. They favor shallows that contain dense vegetation and have an unusual toleration of pollution. [103] [104] The western painted turtle lives in streams and lakes, similar to the other painted turtles, but also inhabits pasture ponds and roadside ...
The necks of turtles are highly flexible, possibly to compensate for their rigid shells. Some species, like sea turtles, have short necks while others, such as snake-necked turtles, have long ones. Despite this, all turtle species have eight neck vertebrae, a consistency not found in other reptiles but similar to mammals. [31]
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is endemic to freshwater habitats in the United States. M. temminckii is one of the heaviest living freshwater turtles in the world. [4] It is the largest freshwater species of turtle in North America. [5]
The wood turtle is the only known turtle species in existence that has been observed committing same-sex intercourse. [29] Same-sex behavior in tortoises is known in more than one species. The wood turtle exhibits genetic sex determination, in contrast to the temperature-dependent sex determination of most turtles. [30]
Softshell turtles: Spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) Pleurodira – 3 families, 16 genera, over 60 species Family Genera Common names Example species Example image Chelidae Gray, 1831 : 15: Austro-American sideneck turtles: Common snakeneck turtle (Chelodina longicollis) Pelomedusidae Cope, 1868 : 2: Afro-American sideneck turtles