What is the bottom of a sea turtle called?

Ventral – Underside or bottom. The ventral part of the sea turtle’s shell is the plastron.

What is the underside of a turtle called?

PLAS- TRON
All turtles have a shell. Each shell has a top, called a CARAPACE, and a bottom, called a PLAS- TRON.

What is the underside or lower part of a turtle called?

turtle shell structure (carapace) and a bottom (plastron). The carapace and plastron are bony structures that usually join one another along each side of the body, creating a rigid skeletal box.

What is under a turtle?

A turtle’s shell is as much a part of its body as our skeleton is to ours. The shell is made of two pieces, the carapace (top) and the plastron (bottom), which are fused together on each side at what’s called a bridge. The carapace is covered by an outer layer of individual pieces called scoots.

Can a turtle leave its shell?

It is not possible for a turtle to “lose” its shell. Their shell is part of them just as much as our skeleton is a part of us. The turtle is connected to its shell through its nerves, skin, ribs, and spinal cord. A turtle can however fracture or break their shell.

What are the scutes on a sea turtle’s shell?

The scutes protect the bony plates from bruises, cuts, and scrapes. Some turtles such as map turtles and several sea turtles have a keel that goes down the shell. Keels are generally present on the shells of aquatic turtles.

What kind of organisms live in a sea turtle’s shell?

The shell can do more than protect and streamline. Many other ocean organisms use sea turtle shells as a home or a feeding station. Small organisms, called epibionts, can live on the surface of a sea turtle’s shell. They can include barnacles, algae, and even small crabs.

How are sea turtles different from other turtles?

Unlike their freshwater relatives, the head and limbs of sea turtles are fixed outside the shell and cannot retract into the shell. This distinctive feature, along with a streamlined shell, makes them more hydrodynamic in the water than their land-based counterparts, allowing them to maneuver easily through their saltwater habitat.

What makes up the dome of a turtle shell?

This forms the dome of the turtle. The plastron: The lower part of the shell, which covers the underside of the turtle. The bridge: This connects the carapace and the plastron. The bridge is part of the plastron. Scutes, which forms the outermost layer of the shell, are made of keratin – the same material that makes up human nails.

What is the bottom of a sea turtle called? Ventral – Underside or bottom. The ventral part of the sea turtle’s shell is the plastron. What is the underside of a turtle called? PLAS- TRON All turtles have a shell. Each shell has a top, called a CARAPACE, and a bottom, called a PLAS- TRON.…