How does a tortoise without a shell look: a description, features and interesting facts

Everyone who attended school attended the lessons of biology. Nevertheless, if you ask a hundred people about how the tortoise looks from the inside, 99 of them will not be able to answer. There is an opinion that any Tortilla can safely leave its leathery house and go for a walk. Let's see if this is so. What does a tortoise look like without a shell and what is it for her - a dwelling or clothing? Let's try to answer these questions.

Lazy evolution

As you know, nature is very slow. For each, sometimes a minor change, go away for many years, and even hundreds of years. A vivid example of this can be Odontochelys semitestacea or an ancient tortoise without shell. More than two hundred million years ago this amphibian did not really have a "house" and was very easy prey for predators. Fortunately, evolution interfered, and the great-grandmother of the tortoise received its first half of the shell - a shield on the belly.

Yes, the turtle's house was formed gradually, at first its lower part, and then the upper one. This is due to the fact that the main natural enemies of Odontochelys semitestacea most often attacked them from the side of the belly. With the advent of the shield, the tortoise without shell was less vulnerable, but soon enough predators learned to attack from the other side - from above. And then mother-nature has again interfered - Odontochelys semitestacea has received the present, high-grade armor which we can observe and today.

Modern turtle

As you already understood, these amphibians are quite ancient creatures. According to scientists, their appearance has not changed the last 140-150 million years. It was at this point that the ancient tortoise without shell received the final "two-sided" version of his house.

The shell of a modern turtle, like 150 million years ago, consists of two parts:

• Carapace - the upper, dorsal part of the shell;
• Plastron - lower, abdominal plate.

In general, the Tortilla's house is a complex skin-bone formation that helps an amphibian to protect himself from adverse external influences. In case of unforeseen danger, the turtle can completely hide the soft parts of its body inside: the head, paws and tail.

What does the tortoise shell consist of ?

Those who claim that a tortoise without a shell can live absolutely calmly, just did poorly in school, well, or skipped biology lessons. To be sure that this is not true, let's look at the structure of the shell.

So, as already mentioned, the tortoise's house consists of two parts - the lower and upper, joined together. Contrary to popular belief, Tortilla's armor is not a single piece, but consists of a variety of leather-bone flaps. In total, the amphibian has forty to sixty such plates. The seams of internal bone plates and external horn scutes do not coincide - this gives the shell its strength.

The turtle house is growing centered, that is, new plates appear at the edges. Young amphibians often meet individuals, in which the shell is open at the sides, they seem to be between two lids. Such turtles are very vulnerable, but eventually the shell closes in strong reliable armor.

Can Tortilla live without shell?

The tortoise's house is not simply attached to its body - it fuses with part of the skeleton, with ribs. Therefore, unlike a snail, which can leave its shell and even build a new one, the tortoise can not leave its shell. She grows with him throughout her life.

In nature, there are more than three hundred species of turtles, some of them quite easily carry the content in captivity. Among them is the red-bellied turtle. Without a shell, she, like all the rest, can not live. However, some breeders periodically encounter the fact that the shell of a pet is subjected to one or another change. For example, a leathery shield can become covered with spots, peel and crack, soften.

Soft shell - the norm or disease

If your favorite is a red-bellied turtle, a soft shell without signs of life can be an indicator of a very sad event. One of the most common diseases in this species of amphibians (when kept in captivity) is banal rickets. Softening of the shell indicates that the body lacks calcium and vitamin D. If you do not begin urgent treatment, your pet may die. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to enter the diet of Tortilla with sufficient doses of calcium and vitamins, as well as regularly arrange ultraviolet "baths". The vet will help to choose the right medication.

However, the soft shell of a tortoise is not always a sign of the disease. In young animals, up to a year is a normal condition. By the age of 11-12 months the skeleton of the red-bellied tortoise will completely harden, and the house will become reliable.

3 myths about turtles

Wisdom. No special mind and there more wisdom for many centuries of their existence was found. Of course, like many other animals, turtles can feel the mood of a person and even respond to it.

Slowness. Under normal conditions, these amphibians are very slow, but this does not mean that they can not run very fast. Some individuals can develop a speed of about 1 km / h. And it's on land. In the water, these creatures are able to move 30 times faster.

Impossibility to train . Of course, a turtle is not a dog, it can not bring slippers to its master. But if you talk with her often, she will start nodding back and even wag her paw. You can also teach her how to play ball. To do this, leave a small bright ball in the aquarium and move away. Because of natural curiosity, very soon Tortilla will start pushing him in front of him.

Interesting Facts

As we have already explained, a tortoise without a shell existed only at the dawn of its evolution. And what other interesting facts can you tell about them?

1. The tortoise's house consists of fifty different parts and only seems to us a single whole.
2. The cervical spine of this amphibian consists of eight parts. To draw in the head, the tortoise is forced to fold its neck three times, in the form of the English letter S.
3. Some species of Tortilla can tightly cover the holes for the head and tail with mobile shields on the shell.
4. Much earlier the famous Squirrels and Arrows on the Moon went exactly the turtles. It happened in 1968 in the Soviet Union. Amphibians remained not only alive, but also quite healthy, only a little lost in weight.
5. Many turtles are cruel predators. Despite the fact that they have absolutely no teeth, they eat their prey, using a strong leathery beak.
6. They do not have vocal cords, but still they can make sounds - hooting, groaning, hissing and something like cackling. They do it in a special way, shaking their heads and making the air compress in the lungs.
7. Some varieties of turtles can breathe through the backside. The anus at the anus (cloaca) is closed by a special membrane, which, for a long time under water, is able to pass oxygen into the blood.

We hope that the article was interesting to you.