TESTUDINE TRANQUILITY

 

Testudine Tranquility, acrylic on canvas, 2022. 24" X 30"

There are about 250 species of turtles and tortoises, which are distributed in most warm parts of the world. They are easily recognized by the hard, rounded shell that protects the main part of its body. Land tortoises thrive in a wide range of habitats including deserts, woodlands and mountains. Pond turtles and terrapins live mostly in rivers and ponds, where they become strong swimmers.

The Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis niger) is the largest reptile in the Galapagos islands, a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean close to the country of Ecuador in South America. The tortoises living on each of the islands vary in shell shape which suit their lifestyles on their respective islands. The dome-shelled variety (pictured) is more well-equipped for the islands with more even ground, while the saddle-backed variety had a flatter shell which enables them to survive in the dry lowlands. The dome-shelled tortoises generally had shorter necks than the saddle-backed tortoises, which use their long necks to reach high-growing plants. The relationship between shell shape and lifestyle among the tortoises was noticed by English naturalist Charles Darwin who visited the islands in the 1830s.

The Aldabra tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is one of the largest tortoises in the world and is native to the Aldabra atoll of the Seychelles islands in the western Indian Ocean. Primarily herbivorous, it has a very long neck which helps it reach leaves on tall plants when feeding. Like its relative the Galapagos tortoise, the Aldabra tortoise also had different shell forms based on their diet. It is also one of the longest-living animals, with individuals living up to the age of 200 and above.

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans, above) inhabits the dry scrublands of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It has a convex-shaped, bumpy shell which is black and had bright, star-like patterns radiating from the centers of each scute. The shape of this tortoise's shell is presumed to be specially adapted to naturally help it return to its original stable stance after it has been turned over. It is mostly vegetarian, feeding on grasses, fruits and leaves.

The eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis, below) is a species of snake-necked turtle found in Australia. A member of the side-necked turtle family, it bends its head sideways into its shell rather than pulling it directly back. Its neck is long and narrow, typical of snake-necked turtles, and reaches a length of approximately 60% of its shell length. It ate a variety of small animals including insects, tadpoles, frogs and worms.

The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii, left) is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. It had a large head and a rough, spiny shell. Its gaping mouth contains a small fleshy flap that is shaped like a worm, which the turtle uses to snap up fish that approach it.

The mata-mata (Chelus fimbriata, bottom) is an extraordinary-looking freshwater turtle which lives in the wetlands of northern South America. It had a flat, triangular and arrow-shaped head with tiny eyes about halfway along the sides of the "arrow" and a long, tubular snout. It feeds by sucking in its prey using its very wide mouth which can open very wide. Its shell makes the turtle look like a piece of wood which enables it to blend into its surroundings while hunting or escaping from predators.

The red-eared terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans, top) is a subspecies of the pond slider terrapin which became a popular worldwide pet. It is originally native to northern Mexico and the southern United States, and gets its name from the small, red stripe on each side of its head. A cold-blooded reptile, it is unable to regulate its body temperature independently; becoming completely dependent on the temperature of its environment. Due to that, it needs to sunbathe frequently to warm itself and maintain its body temperature.

The common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) of southern Canada and the eastern United States is named for the musky odor it releases from special glands in its body when under stress or threatened, as with most other species in its family, the musk turtles. Although a poor swimmer, it is mostly aquatic, spending the vast majority of its time in shallow water and goes to land only to either lay eggs or bask. The musk turtle also uses the chemicals used in its defense to communicate with other members of its kind.

The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) is closely related to soft-shelled turtles and is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Unlike most freshwater turtles, its limbs are flippers similar to that of a marine turtle's. Also unlike soft-shelled turtles, it has a bony shell beneath a layer of leathery skin. Despite resembling a marine turtle, it is not completely aquatic and only goes to sandy river banks to lay its eggs. The pig-nosed turtle is threatened by illegal harvesting for the exotic pet trade.

The giant leaf terrapin (Heosemys grandis) lives in the rivers, streams, marshes, and rice paddies of mainland Southeast Asia. An omnivore, it feeds on worms, larvae, insects, snails and plants. This terrapin is threatened by the illegal capture and export of these turtles for use as food and (less commonly) as pets in parts of Asia, as well as habitat loss by land conversion for agriculture. In the picture, the terrapins are seen stacking on top of each other. This behavior usually occurs when they bask to receive enough warmth and ultraviolet rays from sunlight.