Turtle what a squad. Central Asian turtle. Types of small turtles

Many animals live in glass containers: turtles, fish, lizards and crustaceans. Home terrariums usually contain a terrestrial species of turtles, from which freshwater and land animals emerge.

Reptiles with webbed swimming limbs. Most aquatic turtle species inhabit bodies of water with low water movement. Mobile carnivorous reptiles, but herbivorous species are also found.

red-eared

Brown-green turtle. Also called . Lives in shallow ponds in Mexico, South and Central America and Africa. It got its name because of the red spots in the ear area; there are species with bright yellow spots. There are rich green stripes on the head and paws. Young individuals are less intensely colored than mature ones. Carapace ( top part shell) females up to 30 cm, males up to 15 cm, have claws. The diet of young individuals is dominated by animal food. Sedentary and non-conflict pets.

Trionix Chinese or Far Eastern

Turtles up to 20 cm in size with a soft leathery shell. The nose is oblong in the form of a trunk. These three-toed inhabitants of Asian reservoirs are very active and aggressive. They can injure a person with sharp plates located on their jaws. To keep these predators at home, a newborn individual is purchased. included in the Red Book and prohibited for sale. It is caught by smugglers and supplied to stores.

Caspian

Omnivorous turtles with a flat oval shell up to 30 cm in length. The color consists of alternating yellow and green stripes. Individuals love salty or fresh water with a temperature of 18–22 degrees and a large number of vegetation near the pond. Found in Southern Europe And Central Asia. In nature, they climb high into the mountains. They live for 30 years. In this species of freshwater turtle, sexual differences are clearly visible: the tail of males is more powerful and longer, the carapace is concave.

Silthead

Aquarium turtles with a small shell up to 18 cm and disproportionate big body. Having harmless appearance, reptiles are capable of injuring with false teeth. They come from North and South America. They live in shallow streams and swamps with abundant vegetation. A container of 60–100 liters is suitable for keeping at home. They feed on animal food and dry food.

European marsh

Dark green turtles up to 35 cm. The body is covered with light spots. Big and a long tail, webbed feet and sharp claws. Reptiles live near lakes and ponds. listed in the Red Book. Kept at an air temperature of about 30 degrees.

Types of small

According to scientific classification, small turtles are considered freshwater species, the average size of which does not exceed 13 cm. A terrarium with a capacity of 100 liters is suitable for pets.

Three-keel

Small reptiles up to 13 cm. Color from reddish-brown to black, carapace with three keels. Easy to care for, an aquarium up to 100 liters is suitable. They inhabit the countries of South Asia and lead a completely land-based lifestyle in forests. They are omnivores, eat fruits and vegetables, and are not averse to eating fish. In some countries they are prohibited for home keeping.

musky

Turtles get their name from the musk glands under their shells. The length of the oval carapace is 7–13 cm. There are light inclusions on the dark head and carapace. Young turtles are distinguished by three longitudinal ridges on the carapace, which disappear over the years. They feed on mollusks, insects, small fish. Range: Canada to South America. IN natural environment are reservoir nurses. Turtles swim well; the terrarium should have an island and a pond.

Spotted

Amphibious pets up to 12 cm in length. The carapace is black, without projections. Light yellow spots are evenly distributed on the shell, head and limbs. There are also color variations with orange and reddish splashes. They live at room temperature. For convenience, place shelters in a glass container, and in a pond - aquatic plants. The turtle is diurnal. Diet type: insectivores. Juveniles feed exclusively on animal food. Plants are rarely eaten. In nature, they live in swampy and damp areas.

Pond Reeves

A turtle with a shell length of 13 cm. The carapace is colored brown tones. There are olive, gray-green and black body colors, with yellow stripes. Females are lighter than males and have a shorter tail. Temperatures not lower than 22 degrees are allowed. It is known that turtles can survive freezing temperatures.

Closing

Domestic turtles are endowed with a peculiarity: in case of danger, the gap between the plastron and the carapace closes. The genus of closures consists of species:

1. reddish mud turtle;
2. mud red-cheeked;
3. mud walleye;
4. musk common;
5. musky keel.

Flat

The carapace of these 9-centimeter turtles is slightly extended forward and has a slight convexity. Color ranges from olive to brown depending on the breed. The forelimbs have scales and 4 or 5 toes. The muzzle is oblong. Females are larger than males. Carnivorous, eats fish, mice and shrimp.

Types of land

Central Asian

Popular home view pets At home, they grow up to 10–18 cm. Turtles have a light shell with dark scutes and four-fingered limbs. Once a week you can have a swim. They do not like to be disturbed; they prefer peace and regularity. Provide animals with air at 30 degrees and sandy soil in which they can dig.

Star or Indian

Beautiful pets with an unusual shell shape. The scutes are convex, slightly pointed, with a striking star pattern. Dark carapace, pattern yellow color. The turtles are medium in size, females reach 25 cm, males - 15 cm. The varieties living in Sri Lanka and South India have 5-7 rays in color. Individuals from northern India have 7–9 thin “star” rays. They eat plant foods.

Mediterranean

Color and maintenance preferences differ among subspecies. The color can be plain or dark with yellow splashes. The front legs of domestic turtles have 5 toes, and the hind legs have spurs. There is a bump of horny tissue on the back of the thigh. Sizes up to 35 cm.

Egyptian

The shell size reaches 12 cm, females are smaller than males. The shell is sand-colored with black spots. They are whimsical in their contents and susceptible to diseases. Herbivores, in nature they feed on plants of the genus Artemisia. Calcium and D3 are added to the diet. The opportunity to determine the sex of this species is available at 15 years of age. They are kept in groups of their own species in a spacious tank.

Balkan

Shell size up to 20 cm. external signs resembles a Mediterranean turtle. The shell is light brown with a dark pattern. Over the years, the color fades to yellowish-gray. The tail has a horny tip. They feed on peas, beans, clover and fruits. Supplement the diet with slugs and snails. Mobile pets are especially active in the warm season.

Conclusion

Some species of domestic turtles are small in size and relatively unpretentious. Even for such animals you will need a spacious and long aquaterrarium, an ultraviolet lamp and a water filter. Match the content pet turtle responsibly, and then she will be pleased with the opportunity to observe her for a long time.

The turtle is an ancient animal from the order of reptiles. It appeared more than 200 million years ago and, according to scientists, has remained virtually unchanged over the past 150 million years.

The main distinguishing feature of a turtle is its shell. This is a complex bone-skin formation that covers the turtle’s body from all sides, protecting it from attacks by predators. The inner part of the shell is formed by bone plates, and the outer part is formed by leathery scutes. The shell consists of two parts - dorsal and abdominal. The dorsal part, or carapace, has a convex shape, and the ventral part, or plastron, is flat. The body of the turtle is firmly fused with the shell, from which only the head, limbs and tail protrude between the carapace and plastron. In case of danger, the turtle can completely hide in its shell. Turtles do not have teeth, but they have a strong beak, pointed at the edges, which allows it to bite off any food. Turtles, like some snakes and crocodiles, lay leathery eggs. Turtles do not care for their offspring. Immediately after laying eggs they leave the clutch.

Diversity and lifestyle

There are more than 300 species of different turtles. Some of them lead a land lifestyle, and some have adapted to live in water. Freshwater turtles, unlike land turtles, have a more flattened and smooth shell, as well as membranes between the toes. This helps them skillfully swim in the water element. Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the seas and oceans. Only once a year, during the breeding season, they come ashore to lay eggs in the coastal sand. The limbs of sea turtles have evolved into flippers, which allow them to “hover” in the ocean depths.

Dimensions

Turtles differ greatly in size: the land spider turtle does not exceed 10 cm in length and weighs about 100 g, and the sea leatherback turtle reaches two and a half meters and weighs more than half a ton. The giant among land tortoises is the Galapagos elephant tortoise. The length of its shell exceeds one meter, and its weight can be four centners.

Coloring

The coloring of turtles is most often modest, camouflaging them with color environment. But there are species with very bright contrasting patterns. Thus, in the radiated tortoise, in the center of the scutes of the shell, against the main dark background, there are striking yellow spots, from which the same yellow rays extend. Head and neck red-eared turtle decorated with a pattern of wavy lines and stripes, and behind the eyes there are bright red spots.

Diet

Land turtles mainly feed on plant foods - grass, leaves of bushes, juicy fruits. Freshwater and sea turtles are predators that eat fish, insects and their larvae, worms and shellfish. Land turtles can supplement their diet with animal food, while aquatic turtles can supplement their diet with plant food.

Lifespan

The turtle is a long-living record holder among vertebrates. She can live more than a hundred years. There is a reliable case where a gigantic tortoise lived for 152 years. Scientists say that a turtle can live two hundred or more years.

Turtle: brief information

The turtle is a beautiful animal belonging to the order Reptiles. Turtles count the most ancient creatures, which were among the first to appear on earth. IN wildlife 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.

To date terrestrial species began to be 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 shields bordered 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, by its external features, can be confused with Mediterranean turtles. 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. One more hallmark worth considering conical spike, which is located at the end of the tail. The main habitat in the wild is Southern Europe, namely the coast Mediterranean Sea. 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 type 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.

Pond 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. Optimal environment Habitats: 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 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 mutual language with individuals – rearing in captivity from birth. Main habitats: China, Japan, Far East Russia. 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 the presence of 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, 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 unique ability– climb mountains to great heights, and also live for about 30 years. To keep them at home, a certain temperature is required: water -18-22 degrees, air - 30-32.

• ultra-violet 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.

Turtles (lat. Testudines) are representatives of one of the four orders of modern reptiles belonging to the phylum Chordata. The age of fossil remains of turtles is 200-220 million years. is 200-220 million years.

Description of the turtle

According to most scientists, during the last 150 million years appearance and the structure of the turtles has remained virtually unchanged.

Appearance

The main distinguishing feature of a turtle is the presence of a shell, represented by a very complex bone-leathery formation that covers the reptile’s body from all sides and protects the animal from the attacks of numerous predators. The inner part of the shell is characterized by the presence of bone plates, and the outer part is characterized by leathery scutes. This shell has a dorsal and abdominal part. The first part, called the carapace, is distinguished by a convex shape, and the plastron, or abdominal part, is always flat.

This is interesting! The turtle body has a strong fusion with the shell part, from which the head, tail and limbs protrude between the plastron and carapace. When any danger arises, turtles are able to completely hide inside their shell.

The turtle has no teeth, but has a beak, pointed at the edges and quite strong, allowing the animal to easily bite off pieces of food. Turtles, along with some snakes and crocodiles, lay leathery eggs, but the reptiles most often do not care for their hatched offspring, so they almost immediately leave the laying site.

Turtles different types differ greatly in size and weight. For example, the length of a land spider turtle does not exceed 100 mm with a weight in the range of 90-100 g, and the size of an adult sea leatherback turtle reaches 250 cm and weighs more than half a ton. Among the currently known land tortoises, the category of giants includes the Galapagos elephant tortoises, whose shell length exceeds a meter and can weigh four hundredweight.

The color of turtles, as a rule, is very modest, allowing the reptile to easily camouflage itself with objects in the environment. However, there are also several types that are distinguished by a very bright and contrasting pattern. For example, the radiated tortoise in the central part of the shells has a characteristic dark background with bright yellow spots and numerous outgoing rays located on it. The head and neck area of ​​the red-eared slider is decorated with a pattern of wavy lines and stripes, and behind the eyes there are spots of bright red color.

Character and lifestyle

Even despite the insufficient level of brain development, as a result of testing it was possible to determine that the turtle’s intelligence shows fairly high results. It should be noted that not only land turtles, but also many freshwater species of turtles, including European marsh and Caspian turtles, took part in such experiments.

Turtles are reptiles that lead a solitary lifestyle, but such animals need the company of their own kind with the onset of mating season. Sometimes turtles gather for the wintering period in not too numerous groups. For some freshwater species, including toad-headed turtles (Phrynops geoffroanus), are characterized by an aggressive reaction to the presence of their relatives, even outside the mating season.

How long do turtles live?

Almost everything existing species Turtles deservedly belong to the category of long-lived record holders among numerous vertebrates.

This is interesting! The well-known Radiant Tortoise of Madagascar, named Tui Malila, managed to live for almost two hundred years.

The age of such a reptile often exceeds a century. According to scientists, a turtle can live even two hundred years or more.

turtle shell

The turtle's carapace is distinguished by a convex shape, represented by a bone base and a horny covering. The bony base of the carapace consists of eight presacral vertebrae, as well as the dorsal costal sections. Typical turtles have fifty plates of mixed origin.

The shape and number of such scutes are a very important feature that allows us to determine the species of a turtle:

• land species They usually have a high, convex and very thick upper armored shield, which is associated with general intestinal volume indicators. The dome-shaped shape provides significant internal space, facilitating the digestion of plant roughage;
• burrowing land species have a more flattened, elongated carapace, which helps the reptile easily move inside the burrow;
• Various freshwater and sea turtles are most often characterized by the presence of a flattened, smooth and streamlined carapace, which has an oval, ovoid or teardrop shape, but the bone base may well be reduced;
• soft-bodied species of turtles are distinguished by a very flat carapace, the bone base of which is always quite strongly reduced in the absence of horny scutes and the presence of a leathery covering on the shell;
• The carapace in leatherback turtles does not have any fusion with the axial part of the skeleton, therefore it is formed by a mosaic of small bones united with each other, which are covered by the skin;
• Some turtles are distinguished by a carapace in the presence of a well-formed semi-movable joint of the synarthrosis type with cartilaginous tissue at the joints of the plates.

The border of the armored horny scutes can be imprinted on the superficial part of the bony carapace, and the horny carapace, or horny type scutes, have names similar to the located bony plates.

Types of turtles

Currently, more than three hundred species of turtles belonging to fourteen families are known. Some of these peculiar reptiles lead an exclusively land-based lifestyle, while another part is characterized by excellent adaptation to the aquatic environment.

The following species live in our country:

• loggerhead turtles, or carriage turtles, or (lat. Caretta caretta) - reaching a length of 75-95 cm with an average weight in the range of 80-200 kg. The species has a heart-shaped carapace, brownish, red-brown or olive in color. The plastron and bony bridge may be cream or yellowish in color. There are ten costal scutes in the back area, and large scutes also cover the massive head. The front flippers are equipped with a pair of claws;
• leatherback turtles, or loot(lat. Dermoshelys coriacea) is the only one modern species belonging to the family Leatherback turtles (Dermoshelyidae). Representatives are the largest modern turtles, having a body length of 260 cm with a front flipper span of 250 cm and a body weight of up to 890-915 kg;
• Far Eastern turtles, or Chinese Trionics(lat. Pelodiscus sinensis) - freshwater turtles, which are a representative of the Three-clawed family soft shell turtles. In Asian countries, meat is widely consumed as food, so reptiles are considered objects for industrial breeding. The length of the carapace of an adult individual, as a rule, does not exceed a quarter of a meter, and average weight is 4.0-4.5 kg;
• European marsh turtles(lat. Emys orbiсularis) - freshwater turtles with an oval, low and slightly convex, smooth carapace, which has a movable connection with the plastron through a narrow and elastic ligament. The length of an adult individual of this species is 12-35 cm with a body weight of about one and a half kilograms;
• Caspian turtles(lat. Mauremys caspica) – reptiles belonging to the genus Aquatic turtles and the Asian family freshwater turtles. The species is represented by three subspecies. An adult specimen is characterized by a length of 28-30 cm and an oval-shaped carapace. Juveniles of this species are distinguished by a keeled carapace. Adult males have an elongated carapace with a slightly concave plastron;
• Mediterranean, or Greek, or Caucasian tortoise(lat. Testudo græsa) is a species that has a tall and oval, slightly jagged carapace, 33-35 cm long, light olive or yellowish-brown in color with black spots. The front feet have four or five claws. The back of the thighs is equipped with a horny tubercle. Often a turtle of this species has an unpaired supra-tail shield, the plastron of which differs light color and dark spots.

The Central Asian or steppe tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii) is often found on the territory of Kazakhstan and the countries of Central Asia. The species is characterized by a low, round, yellowish-brown carapace with vague, dark-colored spots. The carapace is divided by thirteen horny scutes, and the plastron is divided into sixteen scutes. The grooves present on the scutes make it easy to determine the number of years the turtle has lived. Average length turtles do not exceed 15-20 cm, and females of this species, as a rule, are noticeably larger than males.

Range, habitats

The range and habitats of different species of turtles are very diverse:

• Elephant turtle (Сhelonoidis elephantorus) – Galapagos Islands;
• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) – Northern part Africa and the Middle East;
• (Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfielddii) – Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Lebanon and Syria, northeastern part Iran, northwestern India and Pakistan;
• or ( Geochelone pardalis) – African countries;
• Speckled cape tortoise (Homophorus Signatus) – South Africa and South part Namibia;
• Painted or decorated turtle (Сhrysemys pista) – Canada and USA;
• (Emys orbiсularis) – countries of Europe and Asia, the territory of the Caucasus;
• or ( Trachemys scripta) – USA and Canada, northwestern South America, including northern Colombia and Venezuela;
• (Сhelydra serpentina) – USA and southeastern Canada.

The inhabitants of the seas and oceans include Real carriage (Eretmoshelys imbricata), (Dermochelys coriacea), Green soup turtle (Сhelonia mydas). Freshwater reptiles live in rivers, lakes and swamps of the temperate Eurasian zone, and also inhabit reservoirs in Africa, South America, Europe and Asia.

Turtle diet

The food preferences of turtles directly depend on the species characteristics and habitat of such a reptile. The basis of nutrition for land turtles is represented by plant foods, including young branches different trees, vegetable and fruit crops, grass and mushrooms, and to replenish the amount of protein, such animals eat snails, slugs or worms. The need for water is often satisfied by eating the succulent parts of plants.

Freshwater and sea turtles can be classified as typical predators, feeding on small fish, frogs, snails and crustaceans, bird eggs, insects, various mollusks and arthropods. Plant foods are eaten in small quantities. Herbivorous individuals are also characterized by eating animal food. There are also species of freshwater turtles that, as they grow older, switch to eating plant food. Omnivorous sea turtles have also been well studied.

Reproduction and offspring

With the onset of the mating season, adult male turtles organize traditional tournament fights and fights among themselves for the right to mate with the female. At such times, land turtles chase their opponent and try to turn him over by biting or hitting him with the front part of his shell. In fights, aquatic species prefer biting and chasing the opponent. Subsequent courtship allows the female to take the most comfortable position for mating.

Males belonging to some species are capable of making rather primitive sounds during the mating process. All known species modern turtles are oviparous animals, so females lay eggs inside a pitcher-shaped hole dug with their hind legs and moistened with the liquid secreted by the cloaca.

The hole with white spherical or elliptical eggs is filled up, and the soil is compacted using plastron blows. Sea turtles and some side-necked turtles lay eggs covered with a soft, leathery shell. The number of eggs varies among representatives of different species and can range from 1 to 200 pieces.

This is interesting! Giant turtles(Megalochelys gigantea) have behavioral mechanisms that regulate population size by the number of eggs laid annually.

Many turtles lay several clutches during one season, and incubation period As a rule, it lasts from two months to six months. An exception that takes care of its offspring is the brown turtle (Manouria emys), the females of which guard the nest with oviposition until the babies are born. Also interesting is the behavior of the Bahamian ornamented turtle (Pseudemys malonei), which digs up the oviposition and facilitates the release of the young.