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A tortoiseshell ornament from Micronesia Cabinet with tortoiseshell veneers French singing bird box with a case made out of tortoiseshell.. Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill sea turtle, which is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List largely because of its ...
The turtle shell is a shield for the ventral and dorsal parts of turtles (the order Testudines), completely enclosing all the vital organs of the turtle and in some cases even the head. [1] It is constructed of modified bony elements such as the ribs, parts of the pelvis and other bones found in most reptiles.
Additionally, the skin covering the shell allows for a high rate of gas exchange. This enables the turtle to stay submerged for a long period of time. In this position, it often waits for prey to pass and utilizes its long neck to capture the prey. [6] The smooth softshell turtle hibernates in the months of October to March.
The juvenile turtle's shell has a rough appearance; adults have a shell that is soft and leathery in texture. This turtle is average sized, growing to weigh between 15 kg (33 lbs) and 25 kg (55 lbs), [8] with unconfirmed reports claiming that Amyda cartilaginea can grow to be as heavy as 105 kg (231 lbs). [8]
The bottom shell is plain yellow or lightly spotted. Sometimes as few as one dark grey spot near the lower center of the shell. [24] The midland painted turtle (C. p. marginata) is 10–25 cm (4–10 in) long. [25] The centrally located midland is the hardest to distinguish from the other three subspecies. [23]
Having a soft shell also allows them to move much faster on land than most turtles. [4] Their feet are webbed and three-clawed, hence the family name "Trionychidae," which means "three-clawed". The carapace color of each type of softshell turtle tends to match the sand or mud color of its geographical region, assisting in their "lie in wait ...
Eastern box turtles have a high, domelike carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. Their shell has a middorsal keel that smooths out with age. [5] The carapace can be of variable coloration but is normally brownish or black and accompanied by a yellowish or orangish radiating pattern of lines, spots, or blotches.
The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name , spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace , which are not scutes (scales).