Category Archives: Science/Documentary

Title: Animalium
Author(s): Jenny Broom, Katie Scott
Release year: 2014
Publisher: Big Picture Press

Why in Database: A very large format book with a variety of animals. Two pages are dedicated to turtles, one has a picture of various turtles, the other has a general description of the turtles and specific information about the turtles shown. In addition, turtles in the form of drawings appear in many other places in the book, on the pages between chapters or on the inside pages of the covers.

Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins
Turtles are members of an order of reptiles called Testudines, which also includes tortoises and aquatic terrapins. This name refers to the hard shell that all its species possess, as a testudo in ancient Rome was a hard screen or shield that soldiers used to protect themselves. Little of the modern turtle’s anatomy has changed from its prehistoric ancestors’, who date back more than 220 million years, making turtles and tortoises more ancient than all snakes, lizards and crocodiles.
Turtles’ shells are attached to their bodies, and so their protective armour can never be taken off or left behind. Land-dwelling tortoises have higher, domed shells, whilst aquatic species have flatter shells. To hide inside their shells, some species fold their head alongside their shoulder, whilst others retract their neck and head backwards. Box turtles have a hinged bony plate that allows their shells to close completely.
Males will often perform elaborate courtship rituals to impress females, who lay shelled eggs after mating. The temperature that the eggs are kept at affects the sex of the hatchlings (a trait shared with crocodiles and some lizards).

Key to plate
1: Green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas
Length: 150 centimetres
This large sea turtle is a herbivore, feeding mostly on seagrasses. Populations of green sea turtles can be found in tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
2: Painted turtle
Chtysemys pitta bellii
Length: 25 centimetres
Also known as the firebelly turtle. this species spends long hours basking in the sun, particularly early in the day. It is common sight to find several painted turtles piled on top of one another on a log.
ifey to plate
3: Blanding’s turtle
Emycloidea blandingii
Length: 20 centimetres
This turtle has a plastral hinge that forms a protective hatch at the front of its shell. It is omnivorous, feeding on a range of foods such as berries, fish and frogs.
4: Diamondback terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin
Length: 15 centimetres
The mild-mannered diamondback terrapin lives in brackish lagoons, tidal marshlands and sandy beaches in east-coast America. The species nearly became extinct due to over-hunting and destruction of its habitat
5: Leopard tortoise
Geoche/one pordoirs
Length: St centimetres
The leopard tortoise is a large tortoise found in savannah habitats in Africa, where it can live for up to 100 years. Its grasping toenails make A an agile walker, strong swimmer and surprisingly good climber.
6: Indian star tortoise
Geochelone elegans Length: 28 centimetres
The Indian star tortoise has a high tolerance of water, and so can be found in places that experience monsoon seasons. Its dome shape allows it to easily self-right.

Author: XYuriTT