Turtles (Testudines) have captivated evolutionary biologists for decades due to their distinct morphology and ancient origins. Recent studies have elucidated the evolutionary transformations that led ...

Turtles are famous for their shells, but this feature is far more than a protective covering. A turtle’s shell is actually fused to its skeleton, meaning its ribs and spine became part of a living ...

Cartoons often suggest turtles wear shells like removable armor. Those stories show turtles stepping out, swapping shells, or ...

In vertebrates, the formation of feathers, hair, and scales is typically governed by molecular genetic factors. However, crocodile head scales are an exception, as they form through a purely ...

Eugene S. Gaffney : a professional biography and bibliography / Robert L. Carroll -- Autobiography (through May 2009) / Eugene S. Gaffney -- Problems of the ancestry of turtles / Robert L. Carroll -- ...

Avise, John C., Bowen, Brian W., Lamb, Trip, Meylan, Anne B., and Bermingham, Eldredge. 1992. "Mitochondrial DNA Evolution at a Turtle's Pace - Evidence for Low Genetic Variability and Reduced ...

A sea turtle’s shell is living bone fused directly to its spine and ribs. It is not a detachable shield or an external case, ...

Sea turtles survived asteroids, volcanoes, and multiple mass extinctions. What they didn’t evolve for was streetlights. Baby turtles are hard-wired to crawl toward the brightest light — once the moon ...