Turtles the Reptiles With Shells

Turtles are reptiles that have been living on earth for over 215 million years. They are cold-blooded creatures that adjust their body temperature according to the temperature of the environment they live in. These reptiles use air for respiration and do not lay eggs in water though they live in water. They have protective shells that are grown from their ribs. They are an older species than crocodiles, snakes and lizards and some of them are endangered.

Leatherback sea turtles are the biggest ones of the species living today. Their shells are as long as 6.6 feet and they could easily weigh around 2000 pounds. The freshwater species of these reptiles are very much smaller. However, there is the Asian soft shell turtle that could grow up to have a shell that is 6.6 feet long. This species also weigh a hefty 2000 pounds. Though the alligator snapping turtle that lives in North America is better known, it is much smaller than this one and they weigh only around 250 pounds.

There is evidence to say that giant turtles have lived during the prehistoric periods. When humans inhabited the earth they have disappeared. It is believed that they have been hunted down by humans for food. The only remaining specimens of this species surviving on earth live in Seychelles and Galapagos islands. They weigh around 660 pounds and their shells grow to have a length of 51 inches. The smallest specimens of the species are found in South Africa and they weigh only 4.9 oz and the length of its shell is just 3.1 inches.

If you look at the turtles that live in land, you will find that their eyes are evolved to look at the ground ahead of them. Those living in water have their eyes at the end of their heads so that they are able to be completely submerged in water while having their eyes and the nostrils above the surface of the water. This enables them to hide from their predators.

Shells of turtles provide telltale evidence on the way they live. Most of these reptiles that live away from water have dome-shaped shells. This creates a situation that its predators find it difficult to crush it between their jaws. The species that live in water have flatter shells that allow them to swim in water easily. There are some of the species that have flexible shells in order to hide inside rocks in the sea-shore.

Turtles are a species of reptiles that have inhabited the earth very much before the humans did. Today there are quite a few species of these reptiles living both in water and away from it. While some of them are very large some are very small.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/referenceandeducation/2012/08/03/turtles-the-reptiles-with-shells/

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