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46 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Unique aspects of turtles #1
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Anapsid skull (lacks temporal fenestrae)
– Recall the difficulty this made for their evolutionary placement based on morphology. – No teeth (keratinized sheath) |
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Unique aspects of turtles #2
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Bony shell
– Carapace: dorsal (top) – Plastron: ventral (bottom) – Bridge: (sides that connect carapace and plastron) |
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Unique aspects of turtles #3
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Pectoral and pelvic girdles contained
WITHIN rib cage |
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Unique aspects of turtles #4
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cervical vertebrae
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Unique aspects of turtles #5
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Vent is longitudinal
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Unique aspects of turtles #6
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Copulatory organ: penis (male plastron
concave) |
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Unique aspects of turtles #7
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Oviparous (NO parental care)
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Unique aspects of turtles #8
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Temperature-dependent sex determination
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Unique aspects of turtles #8
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Long-lived, low juvenile recruitment, small
‘r’ (K-selected life histories) – LEADS TO MAJOR CONSERVATION CONCERN |
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What is important about the turtle shell? (Aside from how cute they are!!!!!!!)
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A compromise between protection and
movement. |
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Age and longevity of Turtlesssss #1
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10 – 50 years to sexual maturity.
That's a looooooong time for puberty... |
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Age and longevity of Turtlesssss #2
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Routinely live to 50-80. Hellllla old.....
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Age and longevity of Turtlesssss #3
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Type III survivorship curve
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Age and longevity of Turtlesssss #4
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Records of >200 years.
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Age and longevity of Turtlesssss #5
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They do not senesce.
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Clade 1 - Suborder Pleurodira
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Side-necked Turtles
3 families Laterally retractable neck Pelvis fused to carapace and plastron Living forms found in southern hemisphere only |
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Family Chelidae #1
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~14 genera and 52-59 species
Neck folds into shell horizontally Usually have cervical scute Head usually without scales |
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Family Chelidae #2
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~14 genera and 52-59 species
Neck folds into shell horizontally Usually have cervical scute Head usually without scales Extensive temporal emargination Mesoplastra absent |
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Family Pelomedusidae #1
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2 genera and 19 species
Africa, Madagascar, and Seychelles Islands Head retracted laterally No cervical scale Mesoplastra (2) usually present |
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Family Pelomedusidae #2
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2 genera and 19 species
Africa, Madagascar, and Seychelles Islands Head retracted laterally No cervical scale Mesoplastra (2) usually present Heads usually with scales Emargination from front |
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Family Pelomedusidae #3
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3 genera and 8 species
Madagascar and South America Head retracted laterally Mesoplastra (2) usually present No cervical scute Heads usually with scales |
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Clade 2 - Suborder Cryptodira
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Hidden-necked Turtles
4 superfamilies, 11 families Head is withdrawn by vertical flexure of neck Pelvic bones never fused to the plastron No mesoplastra |
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Family Chelydridae #1
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2 genera and 4 species
New World: Canada to N. South America Size small to huge Shell seems too small for the body Reduced, cruciform plastron Barbels and/or other spines present Large head and long tail |
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Family Chelydridae #2
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5 genera and 6-7 species
Warmer oceans of the world Limbs modified as flippers Temporal region completely roofed Shell covered with horny scutes Head withdrawal incomplete Size large to very large Lachrymal glands secrete salt |
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Family Dermochelyidae #1
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1 genus and 1 species
Tropical and subtropical oceans Forelimbs modified into flippers Typical shell bones mostly absent Shell covered with leathery skin Size immense |
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Family Dermochelyidae #2
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Regional endothermy:
– Muscular activity creates heat; – Small surface area/volume ratio – Shell thick, oil saturated, non-vascularized = insulation – Counter current mechanism in flippers |
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Family Dermatemydidae
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1 genus and 1 species
Mexico to Central America Larger river turtle with relatively small head Horny scutes present but thin and often fused Temporal area emarginate from behind |
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Family Kinosternidae #1
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4 genera and 25 species
New World: Canada to South America Plastron usually with 1 or 2 hinges Glands along the bridge produce stinkum Temporal area somewhat emarginate |
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Family Kinosternidae #2
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Plastral scutes reduced to 7-11
Barbels usually present Primarily aquatic Eat inverts, small vertebrates, carrion |
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Family Carettochelyidae (Pig-nosed turtles) #1
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1 genus and 1 species
New Guinea and northern Australia Temporal area emarginate from behind Shell covered with skin rather than scutes |
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Family Carettochelyidae (Pig-nosed turtles) #2
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Forelimbs paddle-like
Swims like a sea turtle Fleshy proboscis present |
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Family Trionychidae #1
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14 genera and 31 species
N. America, Africa, SE Asia, India Shell reduced, covered by rubbery skin Legs long and feet extensively webbed |
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Family Trionychidae #2
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Temporal region strongly emarginate
Jaws covered by fleshy lips Fleshy proboscis present |
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Family Trionychidae #3
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Necks very long
Carnivorous |
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Family Testudinidae (Tortoises) #1
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15 genera and 58 or more species
Warmer parts of world except Australia Skull short and stout Shell usually domed and well ossified Usually no more than 2 phalanges per toe |
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Family Testudinidae (Tortoises) #2
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Size variable but some very large
Terrestrial animals Primarily herbivorous |
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Family Emydidae #1
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12 genera and 50 species
New World and parts of Eurasia Angular bone contacts Meckels cartilage |
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Family Emydidae #2
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Double condyle between cervicals 5 and 6
Usually 2 phalanges in digits 2 and 3 Temporal area deeply emarginate |
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Family Geomydidae (Bataguridae) #1
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19 genera and 70 species
Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America Angular bone separated from Meckels cartilage |
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Family Geomydidae (Bataguridae) #2
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Single condyle between cervicals 5 and 6
Usually 2 phalanges in digits 2 and 3 Temporal area deeply emarginate |
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What are the characteristics unique to
turtles? (life history, morphology, ecology, etc.) |
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What is the first major break in the turtle
lineages and how is it defined morphologically? |
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What are the major turtle families? Which
families have very few species or are monotypic? |
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What is the distribution of the major families?
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What major characters were identified or
represent the various families? In other words, be able to distinguish them. |
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What major characters were identified or
represent the various families? In other words, be able to distinguish them. |
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