10 Surprising Facts About Turtles
“...1. Turtles have been on Earth for over 200 million years.
...Turtles... are one of the oldest & most primitive groups of reptiles on the planet.
2. You can identify males & females by the sounds they make.
...typically the males will grunt & the females hiss, especially during mating.
3. They can breathe through their skin.
...a turtle’s shell prevents them from breathing like most animals whose lungs can expand. Instead, turtles have specific muscles to pull the body organs away from the lungs in order to fill them with oxygen.
4. Turtles live on every continent except Antarctica.
...The smallest is the American bog turtle at a mature size of 7-10 cm long. The largest are leatherback sea turtles that can reach 2.5 m long & weigh up to 2,000 lbs..
5. Female turtles can store sperm for up to 4 years after mating.
After a single mating, female turtles may keep sperm in specialized areas in their bodies & be able to lay fertilized eggs for many years...
6. Certain species can live over 100 years.
...For Galapagos tortoises, 80 yrs. old is considered middle-aged...Turtles typically reach full size in their first 10 years...
7. A turtle’s shell is made of 60 separate bones connected together.
Each of these bone plates is covered by... scutes... The pigment melanin is also present in scutes, which contributes to the intricate designs & colors in some species...
8. They can drown.
One deep breath can last a turtle for several hours, & some freshwater turtles can stay underwater for many days...
9. Turtles see colors.
...turtles have good eyesight & are particularly sensitive to the color red...
10. The temperature of a sea turtle nest determines the gender of the hatchlings.
More female hatchlings will be produced during warmer temperatures, & more males during cooler temperatures...”
Zoe Blarowski
May 23/2016
care2.com
Weekly Chuckle
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