(ed) The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, Volume 1: Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds. My impression at the moment is that pleurodires and sea turtles share a ‘simple' penis as a symplesiomorphy (= shared primitive character), but this could be very wrong since I've seen little information on the pleurodire penis. Most sea turtles spend their lives alone until they mate. Trash in the oceans, like fishing nets and lines, and plastic bags, can entangle and kill sea turtles. That's an issue I should discuss some other time. Kelly is well known for her previous work, widely reported in the media, on penis anatomy in armadillos (Kelly 1997) collected as roadkills near Tallahassee, Florida. The cloaca isn't situated at the base of the tail, but some distance along its length, so it seems that part of the distance that the penis needs to reach in order to inseminate the female is covered by tail-reach, not by penis-reach alone. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 48, 3-102, Kelly, D. A. At mating time, females and males migrate to the beach where they were born, following the magnetic fields of the Earth as their guide. This makes them one of the oldest animal families on the planet.Â. In land tortoises and the New Guinea pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), the seminal groove is bifurcated at its distal end; in Carettochelys, the tip of the glans has a tri-lobed appearance where each branch of the seminal groove extends distolaterally into its own lateral lobe, separated on the midline by a distomedial lobe (Zug 1966). Look carefully! In a Green turtle Chelonia mydas (maximum length c. 1.5 m, carapace length c. 80-110 cm), the penis is typically more than 30 cm long (Hamann et al. Systematic Biology 46, 235-268. Cabral, S. R. P., de Souza Santos, L. R. Franco-Belussi, L., Zieri, R., Zago, C. E. S. & de Oliveira, C. 2011. McCracken, K. G. 2000. Du penis et du clitoris des crocodiles et des tortues. This might leave you wondering what the insides of a female softshell's cloaca are like. A long seminal groove, surrounded on both sides by raised ridges (termed seminal ridges), extends from the urethral opening down at the base of the penis to the glans. Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings at the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. It depends on the species of turtle, different species of mammals like deer and antelope and moose all taste quite different, and dependind what the deer have been feeding on : farmers corn, apples, or mesquite brush will be very different. Some researchers suggest that this term should be restricted to mammals and that the convergently similar organs of turtles and archosaurs should be termed phalluses instead (Isles 2009). This can really confuse turtles, and they may not lay eggs as a result; that, of course, means fewer baby turtles. The structures on the upper surface of the glans can in fact open and close, in ‘flower-like' fashion, in a sort of pulsing or throbbing motion. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE. Its single erectile body is divided into a collagenous corpus fibrosum and a highly vascularized, expandable corpus spongiosum. However, in their details, the organs of these groups are all quite different and actually formed from non-homologous tissues. [Adjacent photo credited to /r/Pics]. Like other sea turtles, it has a rounded body, a hard shell and flipper-like limbs. Sea turtles are another group of turtles famous for reaching large size. An intromittent organ of this sort is typically termed a ‘penis'. The upper body of loggerhead (head and carapace) is reddish-brown in color. Because of their streamlined shape of their shell, a sea turtle cannot pull its head and flippers into its shell like a terrestrial turtle. Their jaws are powerful and shaped like a bird’s beak. Their colors depend on species. This is the scientific classification of sea turtles according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Chelonioidea Family: Cheloniidae Subfamilies: Carettinae, Cheloniinae Genera: Caretta (loggerhead sea turtles), Eretmochelys (Hawksbill sea turtles), Lepidochelys (Ridley sea turtles), Chelonia(green sea turtles),Natator (flatback turtles), Sea turtles are categorized either as vulnerable or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. The evolution of the shell probably means that male turtles were forced to evolve innovative penises in order to make genital contact with their partners. There are some especially endearing videos showing this on youtube (one, featured here, shows a Red-footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria forming a strong relationship with a rubber ball). Dermochelys coriacea (Leatherback sea turtle). The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is listed as critically endangered, for example, while the leatherback sea turtle is listed as vulnerable. What about big turtles? Hold your hands 30 cm apart and think about that enormous penis for just a moment. The smooth, heart-shaped shell can be a blend of different colors, including, brown, olive, gray, or black. One of the most common land-dwelling varieties is the Eastern box turtle. Art Journal 60 (2), 96-100. In the diagram above – from Kelly (2002) – the penises of turtles, birds, mammals and snakes are compared in transverse section. The only time they come out of water is to breathe, bask on rocks and logs on the water, or in the case of sea turtles to lay eyes on the shores. Of the many unlikeable and inaccurate stereotypes maintained about animals in popular consciousness, among the most frustrating is what I term "old man turtle". And that is just about everything I know about turtle penises. Except for the flatback, all species occur in North American waters and are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Hydraulic intromittent male sexual organs – a variety of popular, alternative names are available – are not unique to mammals among tetrapods. © In many species, there's a pointed medial process at the tip of the glans. One species—the leatherback sea turtle—has a unique rubbery shell that is not made of keratin scutes like other sea turtle species. Here we look at just one aspect of turtle anatomy. However, Joyce (2007) has more recently found sea turtles to be the sister-group to all remaining cryptodires. Because leatherbacks primarily eat jellyfish, they are attracted to plastic bags which resemble jellies when floating in … CRC Press, Boca Raton (Florida), pp. The clutch is laid in a hole dug by the mother. Yup. Sea turtles can stay under water for up to five hours. Isles, T. E. 2009. As shown by Kelly (2002), male intromittent organs therefore arose independently among tetrapods on more than one occasion. Sea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that inhabit tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. 2000. Carettochelys is odd in lacking sinuses on its penis. The migrations can be over 1,400 miles (2,253 kilometers) long. Her publications can be obtained, free, from her homepage here. Turtle and mammal penis designs are anatomically convergent. The largest sea turtle is the The coloration of sea turtles can be a variety of shades of green, black, and yellow. Penis displays of common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in response to handling: defensive or displacement behaviour? Visit our corporate site. Incidentally, some fossil Cretaceous sea turtles have really long tails – way longer than those of any modern sea turtles. You will receive a verification email shortly. It grows up to 7 feet (2 meters) long and weighs up to 2,000 lbs. What does a turtle egg look and feel like? Flatback sea turtles live in the ocean waters around Australia, while the leatherback species makes their home in every ocean on the planet. A distinguishing feature of the green sea turtle is the pair of large scales between its eyes. A. Please refresh the page and try again. Journal of Morphology 233, 249-255, Kelly, D. (2002). The seven existing species of sea turtles are the green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, flatback sea turtle, and leatherback sea turtle. (2001): "Penis displays of common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina, pictured here) in response to handling: defensive or displacement behaviour?". The strong similarity observed in the erectile organs of these phylogenetically disparate groups suggests that there are few functional solutions permitting the evolution of cylindrical, inflatable intromittent organs (Kelly 2002, 2004). While it might seem like a bloody stupid question, you have to wonder exactly what it is that turtles do with these sometimes enormous organs. Herbivores like the green sea turtle are important for maintaining the health of coral reefs. 1929. Acta Scientiarium: Biological Sciences 33, 487-492. de Solla, S. R., Portelli, M., Spiro, H. & Brooks, R. J. The reasons are simple: a floating plastic bag can look like a lot of jellyfish, algae, or other species that make up a large component of the sea turtles’ diets. Pleurodires – the closest living relatives of cryptodires – aren't as well studied as cryptodires, and less information is available on their genitalia. It's perfectly normal for some tortoise species to have a penis that is half the length, or more, of the plastron. Loggerhead nests average 115 eggs (± 20%) with one female laying 3-6 nests in a season. Green sea turtles have paddle-like limbs called flippers that allow the turtle to move quickly and easily through the water. Honda (2001) had this to say about captive specimens of the Common box turtle Terrapene carolina: Sometimes males will distend their organ neither while mating, nor while in the presence of females. After decades of studying sea turtles… They have been on Earth for more than 100 million years, according to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF). To those of you who recall reading this article the first time round (as I said above, it first appeared at Tet Zoo ver 2 back in 2007), I hope you enjoyed revisiting it in updated, augmented form. Sea turtles live all over the world. There was a problem. If this is correct, it might mean that the simplicity of the sea turtle penis is a primitive feature… but what about pleurodires (the so-called ‘side-necked turtles')? Warning: the following article may be considered unsuitable for viewing by minors, or anyone frightened by the alien penivagina cobra in Prometheus... because that thing is tame compared to the penis of a turtle. A loggerhead sea turtle heads toward the water in Melbourne Beach, Florida. When at rest, the penis is doubled up on itself within the cloaca, and it's the contraction of the retractor muscles that causes it to un-double and protrude (Gadow 1887). Joy Reidenberg told me at the time that the male individual they examined was, indeed, well endowed. As a turtle's penis inflates, its length may increase by nearly 50%, its width by 75%, and its depth by 10%. These animals are identified on wikipedia as Galapagos tortoises, but - following help from Jeannot Tihoti Maha'a - I think they're Aldabran giants. In contrast, the leatherback shell of dermochelyids has a greatly reduced bony architecture, … Some species, though, will rest and feed with others. Softshell turtles (Trionychidae) go one (or two) better, since their glans is five-lobed. Obviously, we're talking here of an exposed groove, not an enclosed internal tube like that present in mammals. The green sea turtle’s head has brown and yellow markings. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271 (Suppl 5), S293-S295. Sea turtles do not have teeth, but their jaws have modified “beaks” suited to their particular diet. 2011) suggests that the penises of some taxa at least are simple (that is, with a slender, pointed glans and little in the way of crazy folds and lobes) and superficially similar to those of sea turtles. The largest sea turtle is the leatherback. If you look at the top of the page you will see... How Do Sea Turtles Obtain Energy \? Aquatic turtles spend most of their lives underwater. The leatherback is the largest sea turtle and can weigh a whopping 2,000 pounds. There are seven species of sea turtles that inhabit the Earth’s oceans: loggerhead, leatherback, green turtle, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley and flatback. Sea turtles sometimes look like they are crying. Petterer & Neuville (1914) described penis morphology in Aldabran giant tortoises Aldabrachelys gigantea*, but didn't provide much information. Tests of turtle phylogeny: Molecular, morphological, and paleontological approaches. Â, As soon as the eggs hatch, the babies start digging out of their hole. When born, green sea turtles are only 5 cm (2 in) long. A tadpole that is 21 days old is very small has no legs black and small tail... What Do Box Turtles Look Like? Bishop, G. H. & Kendall, A. I. They're also present in squamates, archosaurs and turtles. There isn't much known about the habits of sea turtles. This looks like a hawk’s beak, and gives the turtle its English name. Gadow, H. 1887. Cheloniids are hard-shelled sea turtles with a bony carapace (top shell) and plastron (bottom shell) with epidermal scutes . In Lutz, P. L., Musick, J. And astronomers capture the gory show in a first. 1997, Hirayama et al. All six of the sea turtle species present in U.S waters (Loggerhead, Green sea turtle, Hawksbill, Kemps Ridley, Olive Ridley, and Leatherback) are listed as endangered and/… Here, the glans is pointed, with the seminal groove terminating in a single, deep fold. [Thanks loads to Markus Bühler and Emilio Río Rodríguez for help in getting the images at short notice.]. Reproductive cycles of males and females. The smallest sea turtle is the Kemp's Ridley turtle. Amphibians. Leatherback turtles are also known to evert the penis as a response to handling (James 2004), and this behaviour has also been reported in pleurodires (Hydromedusa) and other turtles. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 647, 1-24. Reptiles as Pets. Two physical characteristics make the hawksbill instantly recognizable. Historical Biology 21, 139-214. It is a sight to behold, and one that can startle both novice and experienced herpetoculturalists alike.
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