How hard are tortoise shells? Why are turtle shells so hard

Turtle shells. The hardness is related to the size and physique of the turtle. The composition of the turtle shell is somewhat similar to that of a fingernail, flexible.

Very good, can tolerate a lot of slow pressure, but not tolerant of sudden shocks. A turtle with a length of 20 cm should not be a problem to stand on a child.

Every time the turtle grows a little bit, a layer of horny skin on the shell falls off because it is too small! If you dial it, it will disturb the physiological habits of the turtle! So it's better not to dial! It will handle it itself!

Turtle shells. <>

The whole carapace of a turtle is a collective term for the carapace of a turtle, which is composed of an arched dorsal carapace and a flattened ventral carapace. The part that connects the dorsal and ventral nails is called the nail bridge. The whole shell of the turtle is box-shaped, and the head, neck, limbs and tail of the turtle can be freely retracted in it, which plays a good protective role, and the dorsal and abdominal carapace are composed of two layers.

The inner layer is composed of bone plates, ** in the dermis; The outer layer is made up of shields, ** on the epidermis. The number and arrangement of shields and plates is one of the bases for the classification of turtles.

The turtle's shell is very hard, even if the overlord crocodile in the river can't take the turtle, but some people abroad don't believe it, and want to see how hard the turtle's shell is, and what is in the turtle's shell.

How hard is a turtle shell? Put the turtle shell under the hydraulic press and guess what happens?

Upstairs, you show me a turtle that can't be crushed by a car, and the shell is dead on the outside, and it doesn't hurt if you peel it off, and the rest is just like our human bones, so some people have a hole in the shell or something, and the turtle is quite painful, and as for the hardness, it should be about the same as human bones.

1. The structure of the turtle shell

The tortoise shell can be divided into the upper shell (dorsal carapace) and the lower shell (ventral carapace), which is composed of an unequal number of plates, in which the bony plate and the horny plate cushion each other and are connected by muscles and ligaments, which play a protective and supporting role in the movement and survival of the turtle.

The strength of the connection between the bony plates and the protective properties of the horny plates are important factors in the hardness of the turtle shell. At the same time, the turtle shell also has the characteristic that the newborn turtle shell exhibits a highly modeled pattern, that is, its contents are generated by developing on the inner surface of the shell rather than by external additional growth on the midline of its growth point.

2. The chemical composition of the turtle shell

The hardness of a turtle shell is closely related to its chemical makeup. The main component of turtle shells is a compound called keratin, which is formed from a polymer of several amino acids. Keratin is resistant to oxidation and moisture, while also being highly impact-resistant.

In addition, the turtle shell also contains a large amount of calcium, accounting for about 90% of the weight of the shell, and the calcium ions combine with the carbonate compounds in the shell, and the shape is suddenly formed into a bone-like structure, which also makes the turtle shell extremely hard and compressive.

3. Adaptive evolution of turtle shells

The hardness of a turtle shell is not only a result of chemical composition and structure, but is also inextricably linked to evolution. As turtles continue to adapt to their environment, the increasing hardness of their shells has become an important strategy to ensure their survival.

In the wild, tortoise shell cracks, bumps, and cuts are common, and these problems can greatly affect turtle survival. However, the turtle's shell, which has evolved to form, is able to increase its hardness, which better protects the turtle and saves it from predators.

4. Physiological functions of turtle shells

The tortoise shell not only plays a role in protecting the tortoise, but also has many other physiological functions. First of all, the turtle shell can regulate the turtle's body temperature, because it is not only a solid protective layer, but also a very good insulation layer. Secondly, the turtle shell is also able to store glucose as energy**** in response to extreme environmental and food shortages.

In addition, when the horny plates on the shell are rubbed and punctured, the turtle produces a substance at the wound to ward off bacterial infection. Thus, the tortoise shell is not only a protective shield to protect the organism inside the shell, but also a miniature mechanism with a variety of physiological functions.

1. The composition of the turtle shell

The tortoise shell is made up of two parts, the upper shell (also called the armor) and the lower shell (also called the ventral carapace). Both parts are made up of multiple bony plates. These plates are joined together by cartilage.

The hardness of a tortoiseshell** depends on its bony plates and the way they are connected to each other. This combination gives the turtle's exoskeleton an organic shield against predators.

2. The function of the turtle shell

The hardness of a turtle's shell isn't just for protection against predators. In fact, the shell of a turtle has other functions. For example, the shell of a turtle can help maintain its body temperature.

There are many cavities inside the shell that can volatilize heat when the temperature is high, and when the temperature is low, the interior of this protective shield is not attacked by cold air.

The tortoise's shell can also be used to help regulate its buoyancy. A tortoise can change the weight of its shell by absorbing or releasing water, allowing it to move or stay on the surface of the water.

3. Morphological evolution of turtle shells

The morphological evolution of the turtle shell has undergone a great deal of variation. According to the fossil record, early tortoises did not have the large, continuous shells that they have today. Their exoskeleton is made up of scattered pieces of bone that overlap each other to form some small, hard structures to protect the body.

In the process of evolution, these small bones began to fuse together to form larger, but continuous bone structures, eventually forming a shape similar to that of today's turtle shells.

And these bones have also become harder due to biological evolution. According to scientists' research, the bones of the turtle's shell are stronger than those of other vertebrates such as crocodiles and birds. This is because its exoskeleton is constantly evolving and strengthening to meet the needs of survival at different times.

4. The protective effect of the turtle shell

The shell of the turtle is a natural protective shield for the tortoise. In the wild, many animals are protected from attack by tortoise shells. And the increase in human hunting behavior of turtles requires its perfect shell to protect itself.

When faced with danger, the tortoise hides beneath its carapace, providing a safe retreat position. In fact, some turtles can even shrink into their shells to better protect themselves.

Summary

The reason why the tortoise's shell is hard is due to the fact that its exoskeleton acts as an organic shield to protect itself. The hardness of the shell can also help maintain the tortoise's body temperature and regulate its buoyancy. The shape of the tortoise's shell is also constantly changing in the course of evolution, and its exoskeleton has also become stronger due to biological evolution to meet the different needs of the bird.

For the tortoise, its shell is a very useful protective shield that protects the tortoise from attack. At a time when the number of human beings is increasing, it is the responsibility of humans to maintain the living environment of wild tortoises and protect these precious animals.

What turtle shell is the hardest? acres of towns

Turtles are common reptiles in our daily lives, and their shells provide protection for them. So, what turtle shell is the hardest? Next, we will elaborate on several aspects.

1. Types

Different species of turtle shells have different hardness. For example, the shell of the tortoise is the hardest, and the shell of the turtle is slightly inferior. The shells of water turtles and multicolored turtles are relatively soft.

At the same time, the hardness of the same turtle shell may also be different in different regions and growing environments. Therefore, there are a variety of factors that need to be taken into account when studying the shell hardness of a turtle.

2. Growth environment

The hardness of the tortoise shell can also be affected by the environment in which it grows. For example, a tortoise shell grown in a desolate desert environment may have a harder shell than a turtle of the same species growing in a humid environment.

This is due to the scarcity of water in the inhospitable environment, and tortoises need to dig underground water sources to store water, so they need to be more protected to deal with possible dangers.

3. Feed

In addition, some foods that contain a lot of calcium, such as shellfish, seaweed, turtle food, etc., can effectively enhance the hardness of turtle shells.

4. Age

The age of the turtle is also one of the factors that affect the hardness of the shell. The shell gradually becomes brittle over time and cracks occur in some cases.

Therefore, when maintaining turtles, it is necessary to regularly check the hardness of the shell and whether there are cracks, and take corresponding measures to protect the life safety of turtles in time.

To sum up, what turtle shell is the hardest depends on many factors. In order to make the tortoise shell harder, it is necessary to pay attention to the coarseness of the feed and the growing environment, and regularly check and maintain its health status.