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Carettochelys insculpta
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Animal Description:
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Carettochelys insculpta somewhat resembles a marine turtle due to its front limbs having a paddle-like appearance with two claws on each. Carettochelys insculpta also has characteristics that resemble that of the family Trionychidae, with a soft tissue covering over its carapace and lacking scutes. The carapace can reach 55cm in length and be very domed. Its coloration can range from a very light gray to olive in color. Creamy to white blotches may border the lower portion of the carapace. The bridge and plastron are white in color with the remainder of the body being closely matching the coloration to the caparace except for a pale streak behind the eye. |
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| The species is cryptodirous, that is, the vertebral column in its neck flexes in the vertical plane when the head is withdrawn. There are no epidermal scutes overlying the shell, which is covered instead with a continuous skin. The carapace is relatively deep, with a median keel toward the rear. The peripheral bones are complete and well-developed, so there is no flexible shell margin. The plastron, although small, forms a continuous plate without even a median fontanelle. Several of the plastron elements are not rigidly ossified together, but rather have cartilaginous connections which allow a certain amount of flexibility. The limbs are paddle-shaped, like those of sea turtles, each with two claws. The dorsal surface of the tail is covered with a single line of crescent-shaped scales which decrease in size from the base to the tip. Prominent folds of skin extend laterally on each side from the undersurface of the tail across the thigh region and down the hind limbs. The nostrils are at the end of a prominent fleshy proboscis. Mature males can be distinguished from females of the same size by the tail which is larger in males to enable successful copulation. |
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Copyright@2000-2007 PET'acular EXOTICS |
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