elexsin:
Since today is Mario’s 30th Birthday, I’ve decided to talk about a reoccurring animal in the series today, turtles and tortoises. There are turtle like characters such as Bowser and Bowser Jr., turtle characters such as the Koopas and Dry Bones and of course turtle shells: lots and lots of turtle shells which can be used against enemies in in the Super Mario games, thrown at other racers in Mario Kart and as a weapon in Super Smash Bros.
Turtles and tortoises are not only some of the earth’s oldest living reptiles but they can live to be over 100 years old. Probably the most distinctive feature of these animals are their shells which enclose the soft parts of their bodies. These hard shells also provide protection from predators and the elements as well as camouflage. An interesting thing about these animals is that they can live on land as well as in the water (freshwater and saltwater). The terrestrial (live on land) species used to be commonly referred to as tortoises and the term turtle was originally reserved for the marine species. Most zoologists nowadays use the term turtle to refer to all members of the order. The shape of a turtle or tortoise’s shell can tell you a lot about how the animal lives. For example terrestrial species usually have a high, domed shell while aquatic species tend to have a low, streamlined top shell or carapace. The high, domed shell helps protect the terrestrial tortoises from predators while the low streamlined carapace makes it more efficient for turtles to swim. Turtles and tortoises can have a straight or side neck and do not directly pull their head into their shell like many people think. Straight-necked turtles tend to have a shorter neck which they bend into a vertical S-shape which makes their head appear as if it is being pulled straight back into their shell. Side-necked turtles bend their neck sideways so that their head rests under the edge of the shell.
All turtles and tortoises lay their eggs on land and are oviparous. Oviparous means that these animals lay eggs and that the mother provides no nourishment to the babies. Though most species of turtles and tortoises do not raise their young there is at least one species that will watch over its eggs (Burmese brown tortoise) for a few days after they’re laid to protect them from predators.
Turtles and tortoises are slower moving animals so they cannot pursue active prey but they have all sorts of different diets. Tortoises tend to be herbivores that will graze or grasses or browse on fruit or leaves but will sometimes eat insects if they happen upon them. The Galapagos Tortoise has sometimes even been known to eat the birds that they share a mutualistic bond with by crushing them with their weight when they go to clean underneath their shell (known as the plastron). Terrapins will often start off as insectivores but as they grow they will start to eat mostly aquatic vegetation. Marine turtles, depending on the species, will feed on anything from seaweed to invertebrates such as sea urchins, mollusks and jellyfish.
