tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post7375293480787114944..comments2023-03-26T08:50:19.198-04:00Comments on Ashland Vertebrate Biology: How did turtles get their shells?Mason Posnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00027326710842603888noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-88283364433862690632010-10-09T09:56:59.682-04:002010-10-09T09:56:59.682-04:00What is the evidence that the lack of the carapace...What is the evidence that the lack of the carapace is a loss in this fossil? And we will see that turtles do not have teeth. Are there other fossil turtles that have teeth like this one?<br /><br />You generated a nice discussion on this post.Mason Posnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00027326710842603888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-86587481051336441522010-10-07T15:18:58.330-04:002010-10-07T15:18:58.330-04:00Here's a good question:
Since the top shells ...Here's a good question: <br />Since the top shells on current turtles are obviously much larger and stronger than the bottom shells, does this mean that they have been living on land longer than in water, or is this due to stronger predation pressure causing an inducible defense?Patrick Schniedershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06719672130451257881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-26487436773859880112010-10-06T22:43:57.771-04:002010-10-06T22:43:57.771-04:00Turtles are AWESOME! No, but really, turtles are v...Turtles are AWESOME! No, but really, turtles are very different from their other reptilian counterparts, so it is very interesting to see an example of one of the ancestral forms that had a more general reptilian body. As stated above, the reasoning behind the modification of the turtle's skeleton to allow for the formation of the plastron makes sense to help protect from unseen predators from below and the large, strong carapace above once on land because most of the turtle's predators would have to attack from above rather than below.bschmitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11420482030282838570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-88746481884804205262010-10-05T22:12:39.747-04:002010-10-05T22:12:39.747-04:00This is really interesting! Usually when I think o...This is really interesting! Usually when I think of an animal with body armor, I picture bone / scales down the back. But it makes sense that while you are living in the water, you would be more worried about death from below rather than death from above. This must follow the same logic as countershading.Patrick Schniedershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06719672130451257881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175255259038457261.post-63169916179939913982010-10-05T13:08:29.297-04:002010-10-05T13:08:29.297-04:00I see the reasoning behind how the plastron develo...I see the reasoning behind how the plastron developed. I wonder what kind of hard material comprises the carapace and plastron.Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11044908285276157851noreply@blogger.com