Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History 245 Million Years in the Making
Anyone can recognize a turtle. These ancient reptiles evolved their protective shell during the Triassic period and have followed the same body plan ever since. But beyond their obvious shells, what makes a turtle a turtle? And how do they live? Herpetologist Franklin has written a good introduction to the order Testudines that answers these and other basic questions. Part 1 of the text presents the basics of turtle biology, with chapters covering taxonomy, form and function, ecology, and evolution. Part 2 is the real strength of the book, examining the diversity of the modern chelonians family by family. Roughly 300 species of turtles are found on every continent except Antarctica. Divided into the side-necked turtles and the hidden-necked turtles depending on the way they retract the head into the shell, the turtles are then described and the range shown on a world map. Interesting life-history tidbits are noted along with environmental and conservation concerns. A list of all the world's turtle species follows. Heavily illustrated with striking color photographs and illustrations. Bent, Nancy