Kinds of turtles

Turtles are reptiles in the order Testudines, they are characterized by their bony or cartilaginous shell that are developed from their ribs that acts as a protective shield against predators.  There are an estimated 300 different species of turtles that are alive today, and turtles date back around 215 million years making them one of the oldest reptiles still alive.

The unique things about turtles are they are able to change their internal temperature compared to the outside temperature.  This is called cold-blooded and are similar to all other reptiles.  All turtles breath air, even though some turtles can hold their breath for a longer period of time then others, they all lay eggs, and when they do they are always on land.  Even the big sea turtles go to the beaches and lay their eggs.

The largest turtles on record are great leatherback sea turtles, they can reach up to 6 and a half feet long and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.  The largest fossil they have ever found of a turtle was a sea turtle that reached 15 feet long.  On the other side of the spectrum the smallest turtle known is the Speckled Padloper Tortoise.  It is native to south Africa and measures just over 3 inches long and right around 5 ounces. 

Turtles are generally put into two categories when it comes to their defenses, most turtles have evolved to be able to pull their necks into their shell.  The two different types of turtle are the Cryptodira type which draws their neck in and contracting it underneath their spine.  The Pleurodira can contract their neck to the side.

There are two other distinctions between turtles, turtles that spend most of their lives on land have there eye more to the sides of their heads so they can see things that are on the ground in front of them better.  On the other hand turtles that spend most of their time in the water like sea turtles, snapping turtles and soft-shelled turtles have eyes that are positioned more toward the top of their head.  This makes it easier for them to hide from predators by having just their eyes and nostrils out of the water.  Another adaptation that sea turtles have is glands near their eyes that secrete tears with high concentrations of salt in them that has been processed through the water they drink.

Turtles do not have teeth, the have beaks alot like birds, and they use that beak to cut and chew their food.  Turtles that eat grass and other vegetables are called Herbivors and have more serrated edges of their beak to cut and chew up tough plants.  Carnivorous turtles have sharper knife like ridges to slice and cut through their prey.

All these evolutions have taken many millions of years and they are still going on today.  Turtles have evolved to survive in many different conditions, and have changed to be able to survive as long as they have.  That holds true with a lot of other animals, but turtles have done it for the longest.  That is why they are the true survivors of the earth.

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