Turtles

Becky Ziebart

ED 205-06

Quit

Turtles• What is a turtle?• The Shell• Anatomy• Habitat• Lifestyle• Different Types of Turtles• Fun Facts• Author’s Page• Resources• Concept Map

What is a turtle?• All turtles are reptiles. Some characteristics of reptiles

are that they have scaly skin, they lay eggs, and they are cold-blooded. Other things that all reptiles have in common are that their young look like small versions of adults and that they are vertebrates, meaning they have a backbone.

• All turtles have shells that enclose all their internal organs. There are over 250 different species of turtles.

Quit Click here to view a video about turtles

The Shell• Turtles have a large shell that protects their soft body. The top

shell is called carapace and the bottom shell is called plastron. All shells are different, depending on the lifestyles of the turtle. Land turtles have hard, high-domed shells, which make it difficult for predators to penetrate. Water turtles have streamlined, smoother shells, which allow for easier mobility. The shell does not come off, as it is attached to the spine and rib cage. A turtle’s shell is like a person’s fingernails: they protect the turtle but can still feel pain and pressure through the shell.

Image of Land Turtle

Image of Water TurtleQuit

Return to Previous Slide

Return to Previous Slide

Anatomy• Turtles have webbed feet for swimming, as they spend

most of their time in the water. Sea turtles are especially adapted for aquatic life because they have long feet that form flippers.

• Their skin looks leathery and tough but it is actually very sensitive.

• They don’t have ears but they can feel vibrations and changes in pressure, especially when in the water.

• Turtles have a very good sense of smell. They also don’t have any teeth; instead, their mouths have a hard, sharpened edge that they use to bite their food.

Quit

Habitat• Most turtles are aquatic or

semi-aquatic, meaning that they spend a lot, if not most, of their time in and around water.

• During cold weather, turtles burrow in mud. This is called torpor, which is like hibernation.

• Turtles have adapted to swimming by holding their breath underwater.

Turtles coming out of torpor

Quit

Lifestyle: Eating Habits

• Some turtles are omnivores and some are herbivores.Omnivore means they eat both animals and plants. Herbivore means they eat only plants.

• Examples of plants are grass, plants, bushes, and shrubs.

Box turtle eating

Quit

Lifestyle: Reproduction• Turtles are reptiles,

therefore they lay eggs.• Female turtles bury their

eggs in the sand and the number of eggs that are laid varies depending on the species.

• The mother does not incubate or take care of her eggs. She leaves after the eggs are laid.Female turtle laying eggs in the sand

Quit

Different Types of Turtles

• Aquatic Turtles: Live in or near water and have mainly a meat diet.

• Semi-Aquatic Turtles: Spend a greater time on land but periodically enter the water. They are omnivores.

• Land: Turtles that live on land are called tortoises. They live in arid regions and have a primarily vegetarian diet. A leopard tortoise

Quit

Fun Facts • Largest: Leatherback Turtle: Shell length up to 8 feet

• Smallest: Bog Turtle: Shell length 3-4.5 inches

• Heaviest: Leatherback Turtle: Up to 1800 pounds

• Lightest: Speckled Cape Tortoise: Up to 5 ounces

• Average Life Span: Land: Up to 150 years

Aquatic: About 70 years

• Fastest: Leatherback Turtle: One was once clocked at swimming 22 miles per hour

• Slowest: Land tortoises: Walk at about 0.5 miles per hour

Quit

Author’s Page

• My name is Becky Ziebart. I am a sophomore at Grand Valley State University. I am majoring in Mathematics. I plan on teaching in an elementary school someday. My e-mail address is: beckyziebart@comcast.net.

Quit

Title Slide for Tutorial about

Turtles

Main Slide for Tutorial about

Turtles

What is a turtle?

Anatomy

Habitat

Fun Facts

Quit

Aquatic Semi-Aquatic

Different types of turtles

Land

Lifestyle

ReproductionEating Habits

Quit

Resources• http://www.chelydra.org/turtle_what_is_turtle.html

• http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/a-reptiles.html

• http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-turtle.html

• http://animal.discovery.com/reptiles/turtle/

• http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/turtles/which.html

• http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-turtle-and-a-tortoise.htm

• http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

• http://www.frontier.ac.uk/_library/images/PROUruguayTurtles/uruguay%20sea%20turtles1.jpg

• http://www.desertgold.com/park/pics/turtle.jpg

• http://www.blairsociety.com/Blair/Reptiles/SpeciesAccounts/Chrysemyspictabellii/BaskingTurtles.jpg

• http://k53.pbase.com/g3/23/624723/2/66952724.82jJR7JW.jpg

Quit

All About Turtles

Click the image to play the video

Return to Previous Slide