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Predatory species of turtles. Identifying the species of domestic turtle. Endangered turtle species

In the south and east of Russia and Ukraine live: marsh turtle, Caspian turtle, Far Eastern trionics, Central Asian turtle. Red-eared turtles are brought in large numbers from America or nurseries in Europe.

The four most popular types of turtles are listed below:

1)

(lat. Trachemys scripta) - a green (in adulthood the shell becomes dark) turtle with red “ears” on the head. The turtle is freshwater and carnivorous (it feeds on fish), but it needs dry land and plant food. The turtle lives in the USA and is brought to Russia from turtle farms. This turtle is the most popular and the most “aquarium turtle” in our country and in many others.
For maintenance you need: an aquarium with a shore of 100 l + UV lamp 10% UVB + incandescent lamp 40-60 W + filter + aquarium heater.

2)

(lat. Emys orbicularis) - a black turtle with yellow stripes or dots on the shell and skin. The turtle is freshwater and carnivorous (it feeds on fish), but it needs dry land and plant food. It lives in the south of Russia and in some neighboring countries (Poland, Ukraine, etc.). It usually turns out to be brought by people who pick up or buy turtles on vacation in the south.
For maintenance you need: an aquarium with a shore of 100 l + UV lamp 10% UVB + incandescent lamp + filter + aquarium heater.

3)

(lat.Agrionemys horsfieldii/Testudo horsfieldii) - yellow-beige turtle with darkening on the shell. The turtle is terrestrial, feeds on vegetation, vegetables and fruits, and lives in the south of Russia and in the countries of Central Asia. The turtle is listed in the Red Book and is prohibited for sale, which is ignored by pet stores and, of course, smugglers.
For maintenance you need: terrarium from 100 l + UV lamp 10% UVB + incandescent lamp + soil (sawdust/hay/chips + pebbles) + house.

4)

(lat.Pelodiscus sinensis) is a greenish-brown turtle with small dark spots on a skin-covered shell, it has a long neck, a proboscis on its muzzle, and 3 claws on its paws. The turtle is completely aquatic, eats only animal food (fish), and is very aggressive. Lives in the Far East of Russia, China, Vietnam, Korea, etc. The turtle is listed in the Red Book and is prohibited for sale, which is ignored by pet stores and, of course, smugglers.
For maintenance you need: an aquarium from 100 l + UV lamp 5% UVB + incandescent lamp + filter + aquarium heater.


Determining the age of a turtle

The turtle is a beautiful animal belonging to the order Reptiles. Turtles are considered the oldest creatures that were among the first to appear on earth. In the wild, these animals live in the tropics, as well as in places with a predominant temperate climate. Turtles can live both on land and in water.

Today, terrestrial species have become actively used as pets. Let's look at the main types of domestic turtles.

Terrestrial turtles are divided into two types:

  • land;
  • freshwater

Types of land turtles

Central Asian tortoise

Among the species of domestic turtles, this animal is considered the most popular. These are exactly the creatures that people most often see when visiting their friends and acquaintances. These are very clumsy animals that are characterized by extremely slow movement. It is worth noting that this turtle is listed in the Red Book, which means that its sale is prohibited by law. However, pet stores do not pay attention to this. In the wild, the main habitat is Central Asia.

The turtle has a light shell with dark scutes. The limbs are characterized by the presence of four fingers. To keep this species in a terrarium, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about 30 degrees. It is also worth keeping in mind that from a psychological point of view these animals do not like enclosed spaces, it is this fact that explains the rapid death of turtles.

This species has about 20 subspecies, which are characterized by living in completely different climatic conditions. These turtles love warmth and direct sunlight. Each subspecies has its own characteristics: the size and color of the shell. The maximum size reaches 35 cm. On the back of the thigh of this turtle you can see a mound of horny tissue. The front paws have five toes, the hind paws have spurs. Keeping them in a terrarium involves maintaining a temperature of about 25-30 degrees.

Egyptian tortoise

These animals are extremely small. The maximum size of the shell is 12 cm. The color is yellowish with scutes bordered by a dark stripe. There are no spurs on the hind legs. In the wild they live mainly in Egypt, Israel, and Libya. Like most other species, the temperature in the aquarium is required within 24-30 degrees. These turtles have some peculiarities in behavior. So, for example, when any danger approaches, the animal immediately buries itself in the sand.

Balkan tortoise

This species can be confused with Mediterranean turtles by its external features. The main difference is the small size of the shell, about 15-20 cm. The color of the shell is light brown with dark spots. The younger the turtle, the brighter its color. Another distinctive feature should be considered conical spike, which is located at the end of the tail. The main habitat in the wild is Southern Europe, namely the Mediterranean coast. It is worth noting that turtles that live to the west are much smaller than those located in the east. At home, keeping the species is possible at a temperature of 26-32 degrees.

Types of freshwater turtles

European marsh turtle

This species has 13 subspecies. The turtle's shell is low and smooth. The length of the animal is about 35 cm, the average weight of individuals is approximately one and a half kilograms. The color of the shell of turtles is dark green. The head, neck and paws are covered with light spots. The fingers have large, sharp claws and webbing. View characterized by a fairly large tail, the length of which is ¾ of the length of the turtle’s entire body.

In the wild, these animals can be found in different regions of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, etc. Ideal habitat conditions for the species are lakes and ponds. Individuals are most active during the day. The species is one of those listed in the Red Book. Keeping it at home requires a temperature of 22-25 degrees and air temperature of about 30.

Red-eared slider

Of all the species, city dwellers most often breed this one in their aquariums and terrariums. All 15 subspecies of red-eared turtles are classified as so-called decorated. They received this name because of the red or yellow spots that are located near the ears. The size of individuals is about 18-30 centimeters. Young turtles have a lighter color shell. The head and paws are decorated with stripes of rich green color. The species has sexual differences: males have a more powerful tail and nail plate.

In the wild they are found in Mexico, America, the USA, and less often in Australia, Spain, Great Britain, and Israel. The optimal habitat is marshy shores of water bodies and ponds. Individuals of the species are very lazy, slow and inactive. At home, turtles must be kept at a water temperature of about 28 degrees, air temperature of 32.

Far Eastern turtle

Another name for the species is Chinese trionix. These individuals are the exception to all the rules. The fact is that, unlike the usual hard shell, these turtles have a soft “house”. Dimensions reach 20 cm, the surface of the shell is leathery, soft, without scutes, green in color.

This is not to say that the shell is the only part that can surprise this species. A little It’s unusual to see a trunk instead of a nose and observe the presence of only three toes on the paws. If somewhere in China a small trunk sticks out of a pond, you need to remember that this is a feature of Far Eastern turtles. At first glance, this species is very cute and completely defenseless, but they have a secret here too. Trionix's jaws have special sharp edges, thanks to which the animal can grab prey. In addition, it is worth noting the increased mobility of individuals and the speed of reaction.

For humans, these turtles are also very dangerous, as they often show aggression, bite and are very difficult to tame. The only option to find a common language with individuals is to raise them in captivity from birth. The main habitats are China, Japan, and the Russian Far East. The most popular habitats are bodies of water characterized by weak currents. Chinese and Japanese The meat of these turtles is highly valued and consider it a delicacy. Closed terrariums for keeping at home require maintaining a water temperature of about 26 degrees and an air temperature of 32.

Caspian turtle

Individuals of this species have a flat, oval shell with an average length of 30 cm. The color is dark green with yellow stripes. Stripes can also be noted on the head and limbs. Also the species has sexual differences: Males have a concave carapace and a thicker and longer tail.

In the wild they are found mainly in Southern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, the Caucasus, Iraq, and Iran. The most favorable habitat conditions are bodies of water with both fresh and salt water, with the presence of coastal vegetation. This species of turtle has the unique ability to climb mountains to great heights and live for about 30 years. To keep them at home, a certain temperature is required: water -18-22 degrees, air - 30-32.

  • ultraviolet rays;
  • required water and air temperatures;
  • terrarium or aquarium;
  • the ability of aquatic turtles to come onto land.

Thus, today there are quite a lot of species of domestic turtles. Each of them requires certain care and has its own characteristics. The choice always remains with the person, who has the right to choose which pet will delight the eye every day.

This article will introduce you to one of the most amazing, one might even say fantastic and bizarre creatures now living on Earth - the reptiles of the order Turtle. What makes these animals even more mysterious is the fact that they are relatives and peers of long-extinct dinosaurs. Here we will briefly consider some questions concerning the origin and accepted classification of these extraordinary animals representing the order Tortoise. So, let's get to know these animals.

A group of reptiles, turtles

Turtles (Latin: Testudines) are considered the oldest animals that inhabited our planet hundreds of millions of years ago, and managed to survive and remain almost unchanged until the present time.

The Russian word “turtle” comes from the Old Church Slavonic word “serpъ”, literally translated as “shard”. The Latin word "testudo" is derived from the word "testa", which translates as "tile", "brick" or "earthen vessel".

To this day, there are heated debates among scientists regarding the origin of the turtle order of reptiles, but so far there is no clear and reliable answer to the question of the origin of turtles. Some believe that the ancestors of modern turtles are the Permian cotylosaurs (eunotosaurs) - Eunotosaurus. These are small lizard-like creatures with short and wide ribs folded into a dorsal shield.

Others believe that the Turtle squad descended from parareptilian descendants of modern amphibians. The oldest discovered remains of prehistoric turtles are more than 220 million years old. (Mesozoic era) and belong to the turtle Odontochelyssemitestacea. This ancient turtle had teeth and was protected by a shell only on top, unlike modern turtles.

It must be said that the largest of all known turtles that have ever existed is an extinct sea turtle that lived on Earth back in the Cretaceous period - Archelon (Archelonischyros). When scientists first discovered its remains, they were amazed by the huge size of the turtle skeleton. The size of one of the found skeletons of Archelon reaches four and a half meters in length, and its weight during life, according to scientists, was 2.2 tons!

Archelon

The Turtle order is one of the four orders of reptiles existing in the modern world. In general, this order consists of more than three hundred species of modern turtles, which make up two suborders and more than a dozen families. These animals are distributed almost throughout the Earth.

I would like to note that the reptiles of the order Turtles are very thermophilic, therefore they are not found in cold regions and live only in tropical and temperate subtropical climates. Turtles are not found in some harsh deserts, in New Zealand and on the Pacific coast of South America.

Currently, only a few species of turtles live in Russia: the marsh turtle, the leatherback turtle, the Far Eastern turtle, the Mediterranean turtle, the Caspian turtle and the loggerhead turtle. It is worth adding that turtles live not only on land, but also in different aquatic environments (in fresh and sea waters) and are divided accordingly into terrestrial and aquatic.

Trionics Chinese or Far Eastern tortoise

Terrestrial turtles are also, in turn, divided into two groups: the first includes land turtles, the second includes freshwater ones. Aquatic turtles primarily include sea turtles. In some sources you can see that turtles are classified as a subclass of parareptiles, and in some - as an independent class.

According to modern ideas, turtles belong to the class Reptiles or otherwise Reptilia (lat.Reptilia) and to the order Turtles. To make it easier for you to understand and navigate the diversity of the animal world, let's look at the classification of these reptiles.

Leatherback turtle

Currently, all turtles are divided into two suborders: Side-necked turtles and Hidden-necked turtles. There are three other groups: Sea turtles, Softshell turtles, and Shellback turtles. Previously, they were also classified as suborders, but modern science (taxonomy) classifies them as superfamilies that are part of the suborder of cryptonecked turtles. In addition to the currently existing suborders, scientists identify two more extinct suborders: Proganochelydia and Paracryptodira.

Australian snake-necked turtle

So, the entire detachment of reptile Turtles is divided into:

  • Extinct suborder Paracryptodira;
  • Extinct suborder Proganochelydia;
  • The existing suborder Cryptodira (lat. Cryptodira) contains:

Mud turtle

Superfamily Testudinoidea, which includes the following families:

  1. Family Land turtles (lat. Testudinidae);
  2. Family Emydidae or Freshwater turtles, it includes American freshwater turtles (lat. Emydidae) and Asian freshwater turtles (lat. Geoemydidae);
  3. Family Cayman turtles (lat. Chelydridae);

European marsh turtle

Superfamily Kinosternoidea, which consists of three families:

  1. Family Big-headed turtles (lat.Platysternidae);
  2. Family Mexican turtles (lat.Dermatemydidae);
  3. Family Mud turtles (lat. Kinosternidae).

Cayman crape

The superfamily Soft-bodied turtles (lat. Trionychoidea) includes:

Family Two-clawed turtles (Latin: Carettochelyidae);

  • Family Three-clawed turtles (lat.Trionychidae).

Superfamily Sea turtles (lat. Chelonioidea) contains one single family:

  • Family Sea turtles (lat. Cheloniidae).

Big-headed turtle

Superfamily Escutcheon turtles (lat. Athecae) ​​contains a single family:

  • Family Leatherback turtles (lat. Dermochelyidae).
  • The existing suborder Side-necked turtles (lat. Pleurodira) contains two families:
  1. Family Snake-necked (lat. Chelidae);
  2. Family Pelomedusidae (lat. Pelomedusidae).

African jellyfish

In the second part of the article, we will continue our acquaintance with amazing creatures - relatives of dinosaurs, belonging to the order of reptiles, Turtles, and miraculously preserved to this day. Next, you can learn a lot of new, interesting and mysterious things from the life of turtles, i.e. from what is sometimes carefully hidden from human eyes.

A couple of green sea turtles

Turtles are unique animals in their anatomy and physiology. Thanks to their specific, recognizable appearance, they are easily recognized even by a person not knowledgeable in biology. Turtles form a separate order in the class Reptiles, which includes 230 species.

Red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta, or Pseudemys scripta).

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at a turtle is its shell. It is a special bone formation not found in any other vertebrates. Actually, reptiles owe their name to this bony cover (turtle from the word skull). The shell consists of two parts: the upper one - the carapace, and the lower one - the plastron. Each of these parts is formed by separate bone plates tightly fused to each other. The carapace fuses with the ribs and processes of the vertebrae, and the plastron fuses with the clavicles and the ventral side of the ribs. The carapace and plastron are connected to each other by a bone bridge or strong tendons. Thus, the upper and lower parts of the shell form a single whole, firmly connected to the body of the turtle. The turtle cannot move inside the shell and is generally extremely limited in freedom of movement; in fact, it can only move its neck and limbs protruding from the shell. Despite this imperfection and static design, turtles are not at all as identical as one might think of them. The appearance of these animals can be very different.

Most turtles are medium-sized animals, but among them there are tiny ones with a body length of only 10 cm (spider and speckled turtles), and giants weighing 100 kg (sea and Galapagos tortoises). But the largest in the world is the leatherback turtle, which can reach 2 m in length and weigh up to 600 kg!

A leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) crawled ashore to lay its eggs. The appearance of such a giant is very rare and many observers gathered around the turtle.

The shell of turtles can have different shapes: in land species it is usually convex and round, in freshwater species it is flat and oval. Sea turtles have a rounded shell in front and a pointed back, this shape makes it streamlined. The top of the turtle shell is covered with horny plates, on which its pattern depends. Leatherback and soft-bodied turtles stand apart, in which the bony base of the shell is covered not with horn, but with skin, which makes it seem soft.

The leopard or panther tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis, or Geochelone pardalis) has a convex shell.

More often, the color is of a camouflage nature: in terrestrial species it is sandy or gray with faint stains imitating stones, in freshwater species it is plain, black, greenish-brown (the color of mud). But there are turtles with brightly and intricately decorated shells (for example, hieroglyphic, geographical).

Hieroglyphic turtle (Pseudemys concinna).

The surface of the plates can be shiny-smooth, rough, conical-pointed or elongated in the form of teeth.

Young Indian roofing turtle (Batagur tecta). This species got its name from the sharp carapace scutes that resemble tiles.

Turtles have different ways of “self-packing” into a shell: some species (suborder Hidden-necked) pull their head inward, while their neck folds inside the shell like a swan; other species (suborder Side-necked) simply bend their neck to the side and press their head to their shoulder, but the big-headed and all types of sea turtles are not at all capable of retracting their head. Finally, in kinix turtles, the entrance holes are additionally closed with a flexible shield, which makes them completely “hermetic”.

The spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa) has pointed scutes located on the sides of the carapace.

These animals do not have teeth and bite off food with the edges of their jaws; some turtles (vulture and all types of sea turtles) have pointed jaws that resemble a beak. Turtles have poor hearing, but have well-developed color vision, a keen sense of smell and a delicate taste. They are able to find food based only on smell; if turtles see food, they give preference to red and bright green foods. The brain of these animals is poorly developed, so they are slow-witted and cannot be trained. The limbs of land turtles look like pillars, those of freshwater ones are flattened and have membranes between the fingers, and those of sea turtles have turned into flippers. Turtles are characterized by sexual dimorphism: males differ from females in having a longer tail, special spurs on the hind legs and larger sizes.

Toothless turtles are by no means helpless. This kind of prickly grater is in the mouth of a leatherback turtle; it leaves no chance for the caught fish to escape.

Turtles are found on all continents except Antarctica and the polar regions. These modest and clumsy, seemingly animals have mastered all habitats - they can be found in forests, steppes, deserts, swamps, rivers, seas and oceans. Only the highest mountains and fast rivers did not submit to them.

The Chinese trionix, or Chinese three-clawed turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) has an unusual appearance - its muzzle is elongated into an elongated proboscis.

The lifestyle of different species is very different. The life of land turtles is surprisingly monotonous - all day long they leisurely walk around the territory and feed as they go. They spend the hot afternoon and night in some kind of shelter - a random hole, a crevice, under the roots of trees. Species of the temperate zone spend the entire winter in such shelters; they hibernate and can spend up to 9 months sleeping. For example, hibernation of the Central Asian turtle can begin... in July and it is caused not by cold weather, but by the lack of food in the hot desert (turtles wake up in March-April).

Galapagos or elephant tortoises travel to one of the islands of the Galapagos archipelago.

Freshwater turtles are more active; they periodically dive into a body of water and catch fish in the water column; after eating, they come ashore and bask on the shore for a long time. By the way, these species are distinguished by their mobility and easily climb sloping tree trunks in search of a comfortable place to rest. In case of danger, freshwater turtles can dive and lie down at the bottom of a reservoir; without surfacing, they can spend up to 2 days at the bottom! Freshwater turtles of the temperate zone also hibernate, but to do this they bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of the reservoir. In order to spend so much time under water without surfacing, lung-breathing turtles have a special adaptation - their pharynx and anal bladders (special outgrowths of the intestines) are penetrated by many vessels, and their blood can absorb oxygen directly from the water.

But sea turtles have lost contact with land. They spend all their time in the seas and oceans far from the shores, even sleeping on the surface of the water. Only females come to land to lay eggs.

On the shore they are completely helpless, with effort they move their heavy body with the flapping of their front flippers, but in the water sea turtles develop a relatively high speed, moving easily and freely, like birds.

Turtles lead a solitary lifestyle, but are not at all aggressive towards their fellow creatures. They do not defend territory, do not compete for food, and, on occasion, calmly tolerate the proximity of their fellow creatures.

Freshwater turtles dry out in the sun and do not experience any inconvenience due to their close proximity.

Based on the nature of their diet, these reptiles are divided into herbivores and carnivores. Land species feed exclusively on plants, since they are unable to catch up with prey on land. Turtles prefer to eat succulent food; on occasion, they happily feast on melons, watermelons, and berries. Freshwater species feed mainly on fish, crayfish, worms, snails, insect larvae, and sometimes eat aquatic vegetation, crocodile eggs and carrion. Occasionally they manage to catch large prey - a waterfowl or a snake. Sea turtles eat a mixed diet: for example, the green turtle prefers algae, occasionally eating crabs and shellfish, while hawksbill and loggerhead sea turtles, on the contrary, pay little attention to algae, preferring to eat mollusks, crabs, ascidians, jellyfish and sponges. Sea turtles do not often hunt fish.

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) digs in the ground in search of food. A parasite was attached to its shell—a sticky fish.

Predatory turtles do not bother themselves with intricate fishing techniques and simply grab any living creature that comes into view. The exception is the fringed turtle, or matamata. The head of this turtle is flat and decorated with projections, which gives it the appearance of a tattered leaf. In this guise, the matamata lies at the bottom and simply waits until a fish or frog, deceived by its camouflage, swims closer, then the matamata simply opens its mouth and a stream of water sucks the prey directly into its mouth.

Fringed turtle, or matamata (Chelus fimbriatus).

The snapping turtle went even further, which has a pink worm-like appendage in its mouth. The snapping turtle also lurks at the bottom with its mouth open, while the worm-like appendage moves and attracts fish. Having been flattered by the “worm”, the fish is captured. By the way, the snapping turtle’s grip is unusually strong: it can bite a person’s finger. All types of turtles drink very rarely, being content with the moisture contained in the food. Due to their very low metabolism, they endure hunger for a phenomenally long time; large individuals can starve for 12-14 months in a row without harm to their health!

Open mouth of a snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii).

All types of turtles breed once a year. Males find females using their sense of smell and engage in fights with each other. Despite their external clumsiness and slowness, turtles behave “passionately” during the mating season. Males stubbornly butt each other and try to knock over their opponent. In the beaked turtle, males even have hooked outgrowths on the front side of the plastron for this purpose, with which they try to pick up an opponent. Do not underestimate such a primitive fighting technique, because a turtle overturned on its back cannot turn over and is doomed to a slow and painful death under the scorching sun.

Perhaps turtles are the animals that each of us has seen at least once in our lives. In a park by a pond, in a zoo, at the home of friends, acquaintances or relatives, or at least as a character in the old Soviet film “The Adventures of Pinocchio” or the cartoon “About a Lion Cub and a Turtle.” Have you ever wondered where a turtle lives? What does she eat? How often does it lay eggs?

Where does the turtle live? Land

Turtles, like all reptiles, are considered cold-blooded animals, which automatically means that they themselves are not able to regulate their own body temperature. Unlike, for example, birds or mammals, which are warm-blooded, they are more susceptible to fluctuations in ambient temperature.

Consequently, their habitats are more limited. These reptiles are unlikely to be found in regions with low air temperatures, beyond 40° of both southern and northern latitude, as well as in high mountain areas of any point. Why? If we look at this issue from a purely zoological point of view, then in such climatic conditions they would hardly be able to accumulate a sufficient amount of energy, obtain the amount of food necessary for normal existence, and also withstand prolonged phases of cold and dormancy.

Secondly, the phases of animal activity would be so short that they would hardly be enough for the usual annual reproduction. Purely physiologically, these reptiles, immediately after the end of the resting period, need, first of all, to eat very well in order to accumulate the strength necessary for mating and the development of eggs. In addition, it should be noted that energy will also be needed for incubation, from the time of laying eggs until the birth of turtles.

They prefer the tropics or subtropics to live; by the way, this is why the largest variety of species of these animals is found in Africa. On this continent alone there are 24 species, Asia lags far behind (8 species), but on both American continents, as well as in Europe, there are only 4.

Where does the turtle live? Marine

As a matter of fact, from the name alone one can assume that this creature does not live on land. That's right, the animal chose the depths of the sea as a place to live. Agree, a turtle swimming among colorful corals and colorful fish is a photo that very often becomes a screensaver for our computer desktops. And this is not surprising - yes, these animals are accustomed to living among such beauty. Being inhabitants of salt waters, unlike their land and freshwater relatives, they can boast of a large and sometimes simply enormous body size.

Their usual habitat is tropical waters; being cold-blooded animals, they almost never try to visit cold latitudes.

Where does the turtle live? pet

Sometimes during the turtle sales season, frankly, my mood begins to deteriorate when I see these animals being carried home en masse from pet stores. I just want to say: “People, think about it. This animal is far from a toy! He needs care, no less than a kitten or puppy!”

Got a turtle at home? Then remember a few points.

  • These reptiles are fed once every two or three days, otherwise they begin to suffer from increased obesity and eventually get sick.
  • It is strictly forbidden to knock on the shell. Imagine if you were placed inside a bucket, and then they started hitting it with all their might. This is approximately what the poor animal feels.
  • The turtle appears to be an indifferent and clumsy pet until you watch it and pay more attention.
  • In the life of these reptiles, vision plays a huge role; even the turtle will choose food, first of all, relying on color and only then on smell or taste.