The Evolution of Turtles

By Eva Brandis and Marilynn Hunt

Turtle Types
Odontochelys Proganochelys Pleurodira

220 million years 210 million years 220 million years

ago ago ago
Aquatic Not aquatic Aquatic/Semi
40 centimeters 1 meter aquatic
Teeth No teeth Side-neck
Long tail Complete shell Suborder
Spikes
PleurodiresTurtles
Pleurodira Kayentachelys Chelidae

Suborder 150 million years 113 million years ago

220 million years ago 25-50 cm
ago to present Half a meter Freshwater
Long neck
Aquatic/Semi Clawed toes
Webbed feet
aquatic
Side-neck
Cryptodires Turtles
Dermochelys
Cryptodira Santanachelys Chelionidea
coriacea

Suborder 112 million Sea turtle Leatherback

100 million years ago Family sea turtle
years ago to Sea turtle 4-6 feet
Legs not
present Not hard
adapted for
Hidden neck shell
swimming
Salt glands Flippers
Traits
Teeth => no teeth
This happened because the food that turtles eat dont require teeth to eat
No spikes => Spikes => no spikes
Turtles evolved to have more protection, but later did not need it because of their hardened
shell
Aquatic => not aquatic => semi aquatic and aquatic
Turtles went back and forth between aquatic and semi aquatic because of which environment
better fit the traits
Long neck vs. hidden neck
The hidden necked turtles can retract their neck into their shell, while long necked turtles turn
their neck to the side to fit it in their shell, long neck is used to eat from bushes
Traits continued
Aquatic turtles evolved to have salt glands
Feet => webbed feet => flippers
Aquatic turtles evolved to be able to swim better in the water
Hard shell => soft shell
Sea turtles evolved to have a soft shell which is smoother in the water for better swimming
Aquatic turtles evolved to not be able to retract their neck because it is
unnecessary for sea life
Works Cited
https://www.thoughtco.com/prehistoric-turtles-story-of-turtle-evolution-1093
303
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-creature-shows-how-turtl
e-got-its-shell-1880955688
www.earthhistory.org.uk/transitional-fossils/orgin-of-turtles
https://phys.org/news/2015-06-key-link-turtle-evolution.html
The
End!