Do Turtle Have A Backbone?

Turtle have backbones because they have vertebrae. unlike humans and other animals with backbone, the backbone of turtles is comprised of two part; the shell that form an exoskeleton and bony endoskeleton. The shall in turtles is very though and is fuse with the spine and rib cage. 

 

Let's talk about turtle's backbone in more detail now.

 

A Closer Look at the Backbone of Turtles

You may already know that animals are classified into vertebrates and invertebrates

Vertebrates have backbones or spinal columns. meanwhile invertebrates lack a bony skeleton or backbone

Animal that belong to lower division of the animal kingdom are invertebrates

Turtle are reptiles so technical they have backbones however, their backbones are different from another animals

The ribs and backbone are fused to form the upper portion sea turtles shell

So, it is a single rigid unit is non-pliable. Hence turtles cannot bend or move their shell

Another unique feature of turtles is that their shoulder blades are fuse with their shells

However, turtles have small, flexible vertebrae in the neck and tail that allow them to move these parts

Now, the tough, bony shell of a turtle has two layers the outer area is formed of a protein call keratin

The keratin is arrange in the form of patches called scutes

The number of scutes will usually remain the same throughout a turtles life

However, these scutes develop more rings as the turtle ages so, the rings within the scutes are an indicator of the turtles age

If you closely observe a turtle shell, you will notice that it's made of two parts

There is an upper dome-shaped structure and a flat lower structure

The upper part is called the carapace, while the lower half is the plastron

The carapace and the plastron are fuse along bony bridges that appears on the side of the turtle

This bridge extends from the forelegs to the hind legs in a circular fashion

The shell will also have space for the turtle's head and limbs

When the turtle withdraws its head and limbs into the shell, the gaps for the head and the limbs remain exposed

However, some turtles have a hinge in the plastron

It allows them to pull the upper and lower halves of their shell together 

This helps to minimize the gap where the head and the limbs appear

 

Can Turtle Live without their Shell

We already saw that the shell is backbone of a turtle 

Hence, it's an integral organ for animal

You may already know that the turtle retread into their shells when they sense danger

But did you know that their shell were not originally meant to be protective organs?

They would stay hidden inside their shell and wait for prey

When their prey came close, they would quickly shoot their heads out and catch

However, this organ later evolved into protective armor that shielded the turtle form danger

Although shells are protective organs, remember that they are made of living bone

The shell has nerves blood supply, and tissues

Hence, a turtle can feel it when you touch its shell. if the shell is broken or injure, it pains

Since the shell is fused ti the rest of the body a turtle cannot live without its shell

Severe damage or injure to the shell can even lead to the death of the turtle

Hence, any stories you may have heard of a turtle abandoning its shell are purely fictional

Now, the good news is that turtle can outgrow small shell injuries

Since it is made of living material. The shell can repair it self to great extent

However, recovery is very slow, hence it may not be able to survive if the shell is severely impacted or fractured

Do All Turtle Have Backbones?

Tehnically, all reptiles have backbones. The shell form the backbone of a turtle

 

Do Sea Turtles have Backbones?

Did you know that sea turtles are one of the worlds oldest vertebrates?

Their backbones are fuse to the shell composed of fused and wide ribs and bones

If you look at the shell closely, you will notice a raise line along the center that extend from head to tail

This is where the backbone of the animal is located

The shell is covered with horny plates called scutes in the most sea turtles

The pattern and number of scutes will usually vary from one species to another

While most aquatic and terrestrial turtles can at least partially withdraw their head and limb into their shells, sea turtle are unable to do so

Their shells are not big enough to conceal their head and limbs and don't serve to hide them from danger

 

Do Leatherback Sea Turtle Have Backbones?

Leatherback sea turtle have unique shell structure

Unlike other turtles, their shell is soft and rubbery instead of hard and bony

However, these animals also have a backbone beneath the shell

In leatherback turtles, the spine is not fuse with the carapace

Instead, the backbones is covered with leather skin and supported by tiny bones

This special adaption allows leatherback turtles to swim in the lowest depths of the ocean, where the pressure is extremely high

The water pressure at the lower depths of the ocean would crush a rigid, bony shell

However, the flexible leather shell of leatherback turtle can endure this high pressure.