What are the sections of a turtle shell called?

What are the sections of a turtle shell called?

In my opinion, the turtle’s shell is one of the most interesting of all organs in the animal kingdom. The shell is composed of two main sections, the dorsal (or top) section, called the carapace, and the ventral (or bottom) section, called the plastron.

What are the scutes?

A scute or scutum (Latin scutum, plural: scuta “shield”) is a bony external plate or scale overlaid with horn, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, and the feet of birds.

What is the bottom part of the shell called in the box turtle?

Parts of a shell: There are two parts to the shell of a turtle: the upper portion is called the “carapace” and the bottom half is called the “plastron.” Both shells are actually made of many fused bones.

What is the outer shell of a turtle?

A turtle’s shell consists of a top, which is called a carapace, and a bottom, which is called a plastron, that are composed of bone and cartilage. The carapace and the plastron usually join along the sides of the body, creating a rigid skeletal box.

What are the parts of a turtle?

A turtle’s body is made up of two parts. The upper part is called the carapace (or, shell). The lower part is called the plastron (the underside of a turtle). These two parts link together, kind of like a puzzle, and form what are called bridges!

Are turtles part of their shell?

How does a turtle’s shell work? Turtles are completely attached to their shells — it’s impossible for them to come off. A turtle shell is made up of 50 bones in the turtle’s skeleton and includes their spine and rib cage.

What are scutes on turtles?

The scutes are plate-like scales similar in composition to the keratin of fingernails. They protect the bones and epithelium of the shell underneath. As the turtle grows, the epithelium produces a new scute beneath the old ones that is a larger diameter than the one layered on top of it, allowing the shell to expand.

How is a turtle shell attached?

Their shell is part of them just as much as our skeleton is a part of us. The turtle is connected to its shell through its nerves, skin, ribs, and spinal cord. A turtle can however fracture or break their shell. Unfortunately, it can be a devastating but common injury in pet turtles.

Do turtles shed their bottom shell?

With healthy turtle shell peeling and shedding, the scutes will simply fall off, as a whole (usually). And not just from the top of their shells. The bottom of your turtle’s shell will also peel off, as will the sides and the smaller scutes lining the edges.

What are the two parts of turtle?

A turtle’s body is made up of two parts. The upper part is called the carapace (or, shell). The lower part is called the plastron (the underside of a turtle).

What is a turtle shell made of?

The shell is made up of large, hard scales called SCUTES. Most turtles have 13 scutes on the top shell. The top shell can come in many shapes, colors, and sizes.

Do turtle shells shed?

Why Do Turtles Shed Their Scutes? Healthy shedding occurs as part of a water turtle’s normal growth, as the shell expands with the rest of its growing body. Other common reasons for shell problems include bacteria, parasites, algae, environmental issues, and poor nutrition.

What are the parts of a turtle shell called?

Parts of a shell: There are two parts to the shell of a turtle: the upper portion is called the “carapace” and the bottom half is called the “plastron.” Both shells are actually made of many fused bones. The carapace is the fusion of about 50 bones – the ribs and vertebrae.

What kind of bones do turtles have on their back?

These include the freshwater softshell turtles and the leatherback sea turtles. The carapace is the dome on the turtles back. This convex part of the shell is made up of ossified rib bones fused with the dermal bone. Both the ribs and the backbone are fused to the dermal plates through the process of ossification.

What are the different types of box turtles?

They’re classified into two groups: common box turtles and ornate box turtles. The Common Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina, and its subspecies are the most widely distributed, inhabiting south-central, east and southeast regions, and Mexico.

How many scutes are in a turtle shell?

The arrangement of scutes (which are made of beta-keratin like our fingernails) roughly corresponds to the position of the turtle’s bones and body parts and are scattered to help give the shell more rigidity. They don’t overlap. There are 38 on the carapace and 12 to16 on the plastron.