Posted : August 2013
Author : Matt Weber
10. Spiny Turtle
The spiny turtle - Heosemys spinosa - has an amazing shell
and is located in Southeast Asia. Like many
turtle species, the spiny turtle is hunted for food, and because of this and
habitat loss, its numbers have plummeted in recent years.
The turtle’s shell is cog-shaped, with a set of spikes around the edge. In
younger specimens, these spikes are sharper, but they become more rounded with
age. The spikes deter predators from attacking young turtles, but they also act
as a form of camouflage, disguising the turtle as leaf litter. The brown color
also helps to mimic leaves
9. Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle excretes urine from its
mouth. This is a unique process that hasn’t been observed before in any other
animal. This weird ability has allowed the turtle to survive in briny water
because it doesn’t lose so much liquid from its body and need to constantly
replace it. If it ingested too much briny water, the turtle would be poisoned.
Instead, the urine leaves via the mouth, which is then rinsed with water. Only
six percent of the urine produced by the turtle leaves its body from the
kidneys.
Like most, this turtle is a delicacy in many parts of Asia.
In China,
there are around 1,500 turtle farms that sell over 90 million turtles a year.
Due to high demand in cuisine, the species is now listed as vulnerable. The
turtle is native to China, Japan, Taiwan,
northern Vietnam, and
eastern Russia.
It’s also been introduced to new areas, such as Malaysia,
Hawaii, and even California.
8. Mary River Turtle
The Mary River Turtle is found exclusively in the Mary
River in Queensland,
Australia.
It varies in color and can be red, pink, brown, or black. Its head is small,
and the tail is extremely long compared to its body size - growing to near the
length of the shell. There are also long protrusions under the turtle’s chin
called barbels. It takes 25 years for female Mary River
turtles to reach maturity and 30 years for males, which is an exceptionally
long time for turtles.
The turtle takes regular breaths out of the water, but it can absorb oxygen
from the water as well. The oxygen enters through organs located on its tail.
The turtle spends most of its life in the river, allowing algae to grow on its
body. It may use the algae for camouflage. In the picture above, the algae on
its head looks like hair, which has resulted in the nickname “punk rock
turtle.”
7. Spiny Softshell
Turtle
The spiny soft-shelled turtle can be found in the US, Canada,
and northern Mexico.
It has a unique appearance, with a triangular head and a flat, round shell
covered in black spots. These spots are pronounced in young turtles but fade
with age. The turtle has a long, thin nose and cone-like projections on the
front of the shell.
The gender of spiny soft-shelled turtles’ offspring is down to genetics. In
most other turtle species, the gender is the result of differences in
temperature experienced by the eggs in sand.
6. Eastern Long-Necked Turtle
Found in the lakes of Australia,
the eastern long-necked turtle has (obviously) an extremely long neck compared
to other species, which can grow as long as its shell. The neck is so long that
the turtle has to bend its head under its shell, rather than retracting it.
This species is also known as the snake-necked turtle because the head and neck
resemble a snake. It also has a similar hunting method where it strikes prey by
quickly straightening its neck.
When threatened, the turtle will secrete a foul-smelling liquid from its
glands. This secretion can travel up to one meter (three feet), causing any
surrounding animals to flee. The turtle spends most of its life on land.
5. Black-Knobbed Map Turtle
The Black-Knobbed Map Turtle - Graptemys nigrinoda - is a
small, aquatic turtle found in the freshwater rivers of Mississippi
and Alabama.
The most prominent features of this turtle are the several spikes on its shell,
which become less pronounced in older turtles. There are also beautiful
patterns on the underside, which are usually light gray or blue. The turtle’s
diet is made up of mostly insects, which it scavenges from the surface of the
river.
4. Big-Headed Turtle
The Big-Headed Turtle is found in Southeast Asia.
The most obvious feature of this species is the (you guessed it) enormous head.
It has a smooth, sloping shell and brown color. Unlike most turtles, it can’t
retract its head into its shell, so it has a bony “helmet” to protect the
exposed head. The turtle will often use its powerful jaws to protect itself
from any threats.
The big-headed turtle frequently climbs trees and hills using its large beak,
claws, and muscular tail to grab things. It’s become an endangered species
because of excess hunting by humans. The turtle is commonly eaten in Asia, and they are also captured and sold for the pet
trade.
3. Pig-Nosed Turtle
The pig-nosed turtle is indigenous to New Guinea and Australia. It’s the only freshwater
turtle with flippers like marine turtles, but its most noticeable feature is
its nose, which resembles that of a pig. The nose can act as a snorkel,
protruding from the water’s surface. It is is also highly sensitive to movement
and used to detect prey in the murky waters.
Sadly, the total population of pig-nosed turtles has decreased by half over the
last 50 years because of smuggling: They’re captured in large numbers for the
exotic pet industry. Turtle populations are declining rapidly on the island of New Guinea, where they are also
harvested for their meat. The turtle is the last known species in the family
Carettochelyidae. Fortunately, both Australia
and Indonesia
have taken steps to protect the species.
2. Red-Bellied Short-Necked Turtle
The red-bellied short-necked turtle - Emydura subglobosa - is found in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Their shell is
orange at the edges and on the underside (much brighter in juvenile turtles).
The color fades as they get older, but the orange markings can still be seen
clearly in adults. These turtles spend most of their lives in water, only
leaving to nest or bask. When basking, gular movements occur, in which tears
run down the turtle’s face and into its mouth, while the mouth opens and closes
(this is very roughly analogous to panting in dogs).
1. African Helmeted Turtle
The African helmeted turtle is native to the African
continent and has a large distribution from Ghana
to Cape Town. The
turtle can also be found in Madagascar
and the Arabian Peninsula. The turtle produces
a strong odor with four glands on each of its limbs, which is fairly
intolerable to horses and humans. When females lay eggs, they select a site and
then urinate to soften the ground, making digging easier.
The feeding behavior of the African helmeted turtle is also notable. They hunt
large prey, such as doves, snakes, and other turtles, in groups. It’s the only
turtle species known to hunt in packs.
~Blog Admin~
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