Parts Of A Turtle

We explain the parts of a turtle in detail.The turtles are animals that are part of reptiles, and are characterized by a wide, short stem, a shell that protects the internal organs of the body outside. Its head and two front legs emerge from its shell, its tail and its two hind legs in front and behind.

Turtles are very long-lived animals. They have the ability to live for many years, regardless of whether they are freshwater, sea or land. Common ones generally live between 50 and 100 years, depending considerably on the state and way of life.

A large part of the backbone of turtles is welded to the dorsal part of their shell. Its skeleton makes it impossible to breathe due to movement of the thorax, this being carried out mainly by contracting the modified abdominal muscles, which work in a similar way to the diaphragm of mammals, and by pumping the pharynx.

Although turtles do not have teeth, a horny beak, similar to that of birds, covers their jaw. They shed the skin little by little, and the shields of the shell individually and in no particular order.

The parts of a turtle

Shell

The shell of a tortoise is made up of a number of bones ranging from 9 to 61 bones and has plates, known as shields, that cover them.

This part of your body has an extension that is attached to your rib cage and spine.

The carapace can be grainy, rough, smooth, or it can be a combination of all these characteristics. It may vary depending on the turtle species.

Parts of a turtle shell

• Back: it is the dorsal or upper part, also known as the carapace.
• On the inner side of the back, the ribs and the spine are fused, which limits the movement of these species of reptiles.
• Plastron: it is the ventral or lower ventral part, also known as “breastplate”.
• Through their shell, turtles are able to feel pain and pressure from external forces.

Legs

The legs of aquatic turtles are shorter than those of land. Marine species have evolved and for this reason instead of legs they have fins, which help them swim.

Feet

The feet of land turtles are round in shape, making it easier for tortoises to walk. The feet of most sea turtles are webbed, making it easier for them to swim.

Mouth

The mouth of the turtles does not have teeth, but is shaped like a beak, similar to that of birds. The edges of this part of the turtles are hard, and when combined with the strength of the jaws, it allows these reptiles to catch animals such as fish and frogs and tear them apart.

Fun facts about turtles

Even though turtle skin is apparently tough, it is actually surprisingly sensitive.

The vision of turtles and their hearing is excellent, although these reptiles do not have external ears. Turtles are more than 100 million years old on earth.

The shell of the turtles determines their origin. If it is lighter, it means that it comes from a place with a warm climate; if it is very dark this means that it comes from a cold place.

Their shell cannot be removed, as it is fused to their spine. Turtles do not have vocal cords, but they can still produce some sounds.

The sex of the turtles is determined by temperature. In sea turtles, sex is determined depending on the temperature of the sand where it is found. If the temperature is warm, it means that it is female; if the temperature is cold, then the tortoise is male.