#Spiny softshell turtle

[mischievousspooks]

#flat fuck friday #fuckin losers #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt donnie #spiny softshell turtle #apalone spinifera

[ruija]

April encounters some strange turtles.

Everyday I think about how cute irl turtles are and yearn to hug them. I'm coping by drawing April doing it instead.

#tmnt #rottmnt #april o'neil #leonardo #raphael #michelangelo #donatello #turtles #alligator snapping turtle #red eared slider #spiny softshell turtle #eastern box turtle

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The endangered spiny softshell turtle was on track to disappear entirely from the Thames River in the London, Ont., region until researchers stepped in nearly 30 years ago. Today, the turtle population is not only recovering where researchers have concentrated their efforts, but is increasing downstream. “Without the efforts of SOARR (Southern Ontario At Risk Reptiles), we would lose between 99 and 100 per cent of all softshell turtle nests each year,” said director Scott Gillingwater, who is also species at risk biologist with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA).

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#spiny softshell turtle #Ontario #Activism #Biology #Ecology #stem

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: spiny softshell turtle

It may be neither Flat Fuck Friday nor Turtle Tuesday, but because this is my series and I can do what I want, I'm talking about a very flat turtle. The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is the most widely distributed and possibly the most common softshell turtle in North America. Its range covers most of the Eastern half of the USA and stretched into Canada and Mexico. There are 6 subspecies separated by geography and hybridization can happen in places where their ranges cross. Hybridization has also been known to happen with the Florida softshell (Apalone ferox). The subspecies are the northern (A. s. spinifera), gulf coast (A. s. aspera), Texas (A. s. emoryi), pallid (A. s. pallida), Guadalupe (A. s. guadalupensis), and black (A. s. atra) spiny softshells.

(Image: a spiny softshell turtle seen from above and to the side. It is a turtle with a wide, flat shell. Its head and one foot are visible. The head is skinny and has an elongated nose. The foot is wide and flat, with webbed toes. The turtle is an olive green with black dots on the skin, yellow stripes on the face, and dark spots on the shell. End ID)

The thing that makes a softshell a softshell is the lack of keratinized scutes on their shells. This makes the shells smooth and leathery. The center of the shell has a layer of solid bone user it, but this does not extend to the edges of the shell, making it less rigid. Softshells are the fragile speedsters of the turtle world. Their shells are a lot lighter and often more streamlined, allowing for faster movement both on land and in water, but they provide less defense. Spiny softshells have spiny projections along the front edge of the carapace (upper shell), with males having more than females. They are some of the largest North American freshwater turtles. Females can reach a carapace length of 54 cm (21 in) and 11 kg (25 lbs) while the smaller males max out at about 25 cm (10 in).

(Image: a spiny softshell being held by a person, seen from the front. The leading edge of the carapace is visible, showing off the small spines. End ID)

Spiny softshells have wide, flat, paddle-like feet with three claws and an elongated nose that acts like a snorkel. The turtles are born a bright olive color with striped faces and dark spots on the shell. Males keep their juvenile coloration for their entire lives while females grow darker ad lose many of their markings. It can be very difficult to tell females of different subspecies apart, while males and juveniles can be distinguished by their markings. Smooth skin and highly vascularized membranes in the cloaca, mouth, and throat allow the turtles to breathe by diffusing dissolved oxygen from the water into their blood.

(Image: a male and female spiny softshell facing each other. The male is less than half the size of the female and has an olive colored shell and skin, with dark spots on the shell. The female is a uniform muddy brown color. End ID)

Spiny softshells are generalists able to live in a wide range of habitats. They prefer streams, rivers, and ponds with muddy or sandy bottoms and high visibility, but can live in most freshwater habitats. Softshells are diurnal, spending their days basking and feeding. Being turtles, they are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature matches the surrounding temperature. To warm themselves up, the turtles bask in the sunlight. They can often be found resting on exposed rocks, logs, sandbars, or shorelines. While not particularly social animals, the turtles will bask in groups. When threatened, softshells will attempt to swim away and/or bury themselves. In the right sediment, a softshell can bury itself in under a second. Because their shells are less rigid, softshells have to actively defend themselves when cornered and will bite and scratch. People have to be careful when handling them. They brumate (that's hibernation for reptiles) during winter. While brumating, they bury themselves underwater and slow their metabolism and oxygen requirements. In this state they can fully sustain themselves on oxygen absorbed through their skin or special membranes.

(Image: a spiny softshell turtle buried in its hunting strategy. Only the head is visible above the sand. End ID)

They are primarily carnivores and will eat anything that can fit in their mouths. Aquatic insects, crayfish, worms, amphibians, mussels, snails, fish, and more are on their plate. While capable of fast swimming, they are not pursuit predators. They employ two primary hunting strategies. The first is to bury themselves in the sediment and wait for prey to come by. The second is digging in the sediment to find worms and other animals. Fish have been known to follow digging turtles around to feed on animals unearthed by them.

(Image: a spiny softshell in captivity. It is swimming at the surface of the water in a tank, amongst artificial leaves. End ID)

Spiny softshells mate in spring. Males attempt to woo females by swimming over to them and bumping heads together. The male then sits on top of the female to mate. Unlike most species of turtles, the males do not grab onto the female's shells during mating. Eggs are laid between summer and early fall and will hatch next spring. The female will dig a nest in sandy or gravelly banks and bury the eggs once they have been laid. She provides no further care. Females will typically mate multiple times each year, with each mating having a different nest. The juveniles take 8 to 10 years to reach sexual maturity and they can live up to 50 years in the wild. Many turtles determine sex by the temperature the eggs are incubated in. This is not the case with spiny softshells, who have genetics based sex determination.

(Image: a group of 5 juveniles. The photo focuses on two who are sitting next to each other. One has its front right leg on the shell of the other. They have similar coloration to an adult male. End ID)

(Image: a newborn emerging from its egg. The egg is round and white, looking like a ping-pong ball. Only the head of the turtle has emerged. End ID)

Most subspecies of spiny softshell are classified as least concern or near threatened by the IUCN, meaning they are not in danger of extinction. The exception is the black spiny softshell, also known as the Cuatro Ciénegas softshell, which is critically endangered. The primary threats to the turtles is habitat loss due to human activity. Adults have no natural predators outside of the Florida and adjacent state populations, which are prey to alligators. Juveniles are eaten by a variety of animals including fish, snakes, raccoons, and herons. People will also eat the adults. Because it can take a whole decade for juveniles to become reproductive, losses in population take a long time to replace. They have been introduced to areas outside of their native range, most notably the western USA. Most of these introductions are due to people releasing pet turtles into the wild.

(Image: someone holding a juvenile. The shell is 2-3 times the size of the human's thumb. End ID)

#i typoed it as softhsell more times than I care to admit #wet beast wednesday #turtle #turtles #softshell turtle #soft shell turtle #spiny softshell turtle #reptile #biology #zoology #ecology #animal facts #freshwater ecology #aquatic biology #informative #educational #image described #turtle power #herpetology

[monkeyoc]

why are these turtles so cute

#rottmnt #tmnt #rottmnt donnie #I mean #they are just fellers #long neck #and long nose #perfection #Turtles #spiny softshell turtle

[gently-morbid]

Miniature monsters hatched in our incubators last summer

More to come soon…

#goblincore #academia #biology #herpetology #natural sciences #biology academia #reptiles #turtles #herps #stem academia #animals #alligator snapping turtle #spiny softshell turtle

[labrabeet]

Scientifically accurate rise Donatello would be both extremely dangerous and very precious. I feel like everyone agrees that the snoot is fantastic, but I think we all forget the plastron… SCIENCE AHEAD!

Soft plastron! This one isn’t in the show, but all softshells have a soft plastron that’s a boney plate (part of their carapace) covered in their usual (often pale) underbelly skin. Like so:

(Image from “Turtle Shell Anatomy” by Riverside Reptiles Education Center)

This would mean Donnie would have a very soft tummy!!! Most plastron is kind of solid/boney feeling, so you can knock on Leo’s plastron like a door and injure yourself by bumping into Raph’s chest.

But I think we all agree that Donnie has the softshell “bite and scratch and beat the shit out of anything that pisses me off” and so therefore…

The cat “perfect soft tummy but if you touch it you die” rules apply to Donnie.

#rottmnt #spiny softshell turtle #softshell turtle #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt donnie #rise donnie #rise donatello

[lostrealities0]

Guys

I'm fucking sobbing

S t r e t c h

#soft shell turtles have become a favorite #if you ever have a bad day just look at pictures of them #spiny softshell turtle #donnie does occasionally #never failing to freak tf out of his brothers #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt #rottmnt donnie

[k-quenouille]

ehehehhehehhehe i love softhsells sm

they're so silly i-

#rottmnt #rottmnt donnie #softshell turtle #spiny softshell turtle #the way i got so excited when i learned donatello was a softshell #they're so fun to draw #quenouillart

[antiqueanimals]

The Quizzer Book of Knowledge: Nature. Written and edited by George Beal. 1978.

Internet Archive

#reptiles #turtles #softshell turtles #spiny softshell turtle #indian shoftshell turtle #map terrapins #sea turtles #green sea turtles #tortoises #galapagos tortoise

[doctorqueue]

I don’t wanna spend too much time on this 2day but I absolutely want to try and make a full post about this theory at a later time. So if I come off weird it’s cuz I’m tired hsbcrvg, I’m gonna forget if I don’t write it out now tho.

I’m also not at all an expert, just autistic 😎. To quote Raph, “I’m not a scientist but this is absolutely your guilt glands, excreting guiltzimes into your guiltis system☝️😌.”

But basically I, as I’ve said before, am now incredulously familiar with the different Rise turtle species’ anatomy. And over the last month or two I’m becoming increasingly sure of the theory that they aren’t just blood related through Lou Jitsu, but have a little of each others turtle DNA too.

⭐️The biggest undeniable signifier of this is Donnie’s plastron and bridge. It’s of course important that there’s a lot that doesn’t have to be accurate in a stylised completely fictional show like Rise, and especially with mutants.

But man it’s a pretty big plot hole to have this character who’s design and character (as well as story at times) be known as having a softshell because of his species, but give him these key/obvious turtle attributes that said species definitely doesn’t have, he certainly didn’t get a hard and external plastron + bridge from his human side. /nm /gen

Turtles have tons of bones inside their bodies like most animals do, but the shell, bridge and plastron bones are more external, and covered scutes. The skin connects around the two gaps in the front and back.

Softshells still have a hard plate with their spinal cord and [shorter] ribs, but it’s under a leathery “shell” of skin, and they don’t have a solid bridge connection like other turtles. Their bones are absolutely wack bro /pos. Their plastron and the closest thing they have to a bridge are still equivalent to our front ribs, but even more so in that they’re still behind skin [but I don’t think muscle?], and that skin more or less is around their entire body [kind of].

[it’s worth mentioning that in other species they do have lots of nerves and stuff in their shells, they ARE still sensitive, though most likely less. Not too relevant to this but I feel like people have the assumption that their shells are super numb or they can’t feel stuff touching them. They love those shell brushes yo!]

Then there may be extra little details that COULD support this theory as well.

-Donnie being seen going inside his shell twice, once in the lair games and then once in the purple jacket (in the basket of Aprils bike). I’ve always preferred to retcon these, as Softshells cannot go inside their shells at all. But with a harder plastron and bridge ��outside’ of his skin that connects to where his shell sticks out, it isn’t as impossible as a normal softshell, and of course Mikey and Leo absolutely can and have completely gone in their shells. [tba examples?]

Also snapping turts can’t go inside theirs either, though considering how massive Raph’s limbs are he probably can’t even with Mike and Lee’s DNA influence, not that it’s realistic for any of the ninja turtles to be able to go in their shells LOL.

-Donnie looking like he has small spines/spikes across his spine, even though Spiny softshells don’t have any there, but rather at the top lip of their softshell. Some do on occasion have their spine make bumps visible on their ‘shell’.

Rise, like many 2D handrawn animated things, has quite a few design inconsistencies, but you can usually surmise the most common version of something once you collect enough references. Though ngl I’ve seen a lot of both spiny looking bumps and just wobbly bumps, some with no bumps. But my point is this could be a minor feature from Raph’s Alligator Snapper DNA, unlikely but worth mentioning, plus super cute. [tba example images]

-Raph’s fear stink? I need to do more research on this, but I know that Softshells are actually known to release an odor to scare off others, if I’m remembering correctly. [tba info?]

-Mikey’s shell patterns, when studying Red-eared slider shells, I was so stoked to see the inspiration of Leo’s shell markings, and it looked like Mikey’s also matched his species. That is, until I realised Mike matched with COMMON/EASTERN box turtle shells. Ornate box turtles almost always have these radiating stripes. I’ve personally made my own kind of in between for how I draw him, but it made me realise how maybe it was influenced by Leo’s slider DNA? [tba example images]

-The same Plastron + Bridge argument as Donnie but with Raph. Alligator Snappers def have em, but they cover waaaay less than most turtles do, their bridges are very narrow and their plastron don’t even stick out, or are that thick, it’s pretty interesting. [tba example images]

TURTLE EXPERTS PLEASE CORRECT ME WHERE I’M WRONG AND/OR OFF /POS

I want to add credits for the sources/photos, and more images to this post as I have tooons of reference images, but I’ll just stick to the simple plastron one cuz it’s past midnight and am eepy

#rottmnt theory #tmnt anatomy #tmnt analysis #rottmnt analysis #tmnt theory #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt donnie #ninja turtles #rottmnt art #Rottmnt fanart #tmnt fanart #Tmnt art #spiny softshell turtle #red eared slider #ornate box turtle #alligator snapping turtle #softshell turtle #turtle anatomy #turtle biology #mutant turtle anatomy #reference #wip #my refs #goodnight

[ruija]

More adventures with demutated turtles. I can't get over when basking sliders and softshells stretch out their legs, it looks so silly and cute. Mikey's behavior is inspired by videos I've seen of box turtles climbing up their owners for... affection? Or maybe just a bite.

#tmnt #rottmnt #donatello #leonardo #michelangelo #raphael #april o'neil #rise of the tmnt #red eared slider #spiny softshell turtle #alligator snapping turtle #eastern box turtle #demutated turtles

[nerves-nebula]

remembered that i have an academic document about the stages of spiny soft shelled turtle embryos with photographs and labels and tons of information for. some reason.

ok well it was because i was doing research on turtles and i wanted to get at this paper but i couldn't (either it cost money or i needed to make an account or something) so i emailed one of the guys who wrote it being like "this is gonna sound weird but i like the teenage mutant ninja turtles a lot and i wanna look into turtle embryo's of this exact species can i please see your paper please" and he just sent me a pdf copy no comment.

shoutout to Eli Greenbaum and John L. Carr for the scientific paper (i dont remember which one i asked)

#nnstuff #rambling #spiny softshell turtle #turtles #tmnt

[livinginanotherreality]

Finally made it to FLAT FUCK FRIDAY!

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #flat fuck friday #spiny softshell turtle

[metal-lobster]

Vote for Donatello! According to this article that is definitely about him, he not only has Autistic Swag, but Queer Glamour as well! What more could you possibly want!

@autismswagreblogs

#donnie sweep #autism swag summit #autismsummit2023 #rottmnt #donnie tmnt #vote donnie #teenage mutant ninja turtles #hamato donatello #spiny softshell turtle #autistic characters #why he ourple #purple #autistic donatello #autistic swag #queer glamour #my art #donnie propaganda #my edit #tmnt

[fungalscrungle]

A second redesign of my tmnt version with change to the kinds of turtles

#teenage mutant ninja turtles #art #tmnt #donatello #leonardo #raphael #tmnt michelangelo #autism #adhd #gay #soft shell turtle #red eared slider #spiny softshell turtle #spiny turtle #eastern painted turtle