Turtle have backbones because they have vertebrae. unlike humans and other animals with backbones, the backbone of turtles is comprised of two part; the shell that form an exoskeleton and bony endoskeleton. the shell in turtles is very thought 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 other animals
The ribs and backbone are fused to form the upper portion sea turtle's shell
So, it is a single rigid unit is non-pliable. hence turtles cannot bend or move their shell
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 arranged is arrange in the form of patches called scutes.
The number of scutes will usually remain the same throughout a turtle's life
However, these scutes develop more rings 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 turtles head and limbs
When the turtle withdraws its head and limbs into the shell, the gaps for the head and the limbs remain exposed
How ever, 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 eveloved into protective armor that shielded the turtle form danger
Although shells are protective organs, remember that they are made of living bone
The shells as nerves bloody 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 to the rest of the body a turtle cannot live without its shell
Hence, any stories you may have heard of a turtle abandoning its shell are purely fictional
Now, the good news is that a 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 backbone of a turtle
Do Sea Turtles have Backbones?
Did you know that sea turtles are one of the world's 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 heads 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 bt tiny bones
The 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
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