This reptile is rightfully considered one of the most interesting and ancient. Scientists involved in the study of fossilized remains, determined that the first turtles - reptiles, appeared about 250 million years ago. From ancient times, they lived both in the waters of salty oceans and on the surface of the Earth.
In this article, we will consider how many species of turtles exist on our planet, what is their habitat and how many of these reptiles are able to live.
Life span
It is believed that a turtle can live 300 years. However, it is not. Among these animals, there are indeed long-livers, but the average life span can reach a maximum of 250 years. So, for example, the oldest living turtle in the world, whose name is Jonathan, supposedly lived in the time of Napoleon. It is noteworthy that this animal lives on the island of St. Helena, where Bonaparte was exiled. Enthusiasts suggest that she personally could see the former French emperor as he strolled along the coast.
Mostly the lifespan of these reptiles depends on their type and size. The larger the turtle, the longer it can live. It is noteworthy that bondage often prolongs their life, but can also shorten it. It all depends on the correct care.
Species of turtles
To date, there are reliably known about 328 species of these animals, which, in turn, are combined into fourteen families. Also, the squad of turtles is divided into two squads. This division is due to the method of drawing the head into the shell:
- Crypto-turtles - reptiles that lay their neck in the form of the English letter S;
- side-necked - they remove their head in the direction of one of the forelimbs.
In addition to dividing into units by this criterion, turtles are also classified by habitat. To date, the following classes exist:
- Sea turtles - reptiles that live in salt ponds;
- Terrestrial - animals that live in fresh waters and on land. This class of turtles, in turn, is divided into two subspecies. The first is land. The habitat of turtles of this variety is land. The second is freshwater. They are aquatic animals, but live only in rivers, lakes, where the water is not salty. It is noteworthy that this species still goes to land, but only for a short time.
Sea turtles
Sea species of these animals live exclusively in salt waters. These reptiles are found in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. In addition, they live in almost all tropical seas. Turtle is a reptile that loves warm waters and therefore never visits northern latitudes.
Sea turtles have not changed much over millions of years. They are extremely clumsy on land, but very graceful and quick in the aquatic environment. This is due to developed forelimbs. They resemble fins in shape. Sea turtles are one of the largest on the planet. The weight of some species can reach one ton. Scientists are still wondering how many sea turtles live. The thing is that the age of some studied individuals reached 250 years. However, the scientists have not yet been able to find out the maximum possible lifespan of these reptiles.
Today, there are many varieties of sea turtles. The most popular are:
- green
- leathery;
- loggerhead;
- ridley;
- turtle bissa.
An interesting fact, not completely understood by scientists, is the ability of sea turtles to navigate. These reptiles are well oriented in the waters of the ocean and remember their birthplace for many years.
Terrestrial and terrestrial species
Land turtles are one of the largest groups of these animals. It has about 30 genera and 85 varieties.
Reptiles of this group are widespread in the hot and temperate zones. The exception is Australia. These reptiles do not live there. They are found in Russia, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Balkan Peninsula.
Ground turtles are herbivorous reptiles. They feed preferably on grass and other green vegetation. The most famous representatives of this group are:
- Galapagos
- elastic;
- steppe;
- wooden;
- elephant.
The family of land turtles is the smallest group. It includes 12 genera and about 35 species. Among them there are both small, the size of which does not exceed 12 centimeters, and huge meter varieties. The largest live only on the Seychelles and Galapagos Islands.
A distinctive feature of land turtles is their longevity. Some species can survive up to 150-200 years. The diet of these reptiles is vegetable, but it can also include a certain amount of animal food.
The most famous types of land turtles in science:
- Balkan;
- panther;
- radiant;
- Egyptian
- Mediterranean
Freshwater turtles
This is the largest family. It includes 31 genera and more than 80 species of turtles. Such reptiles are predominantly small in size. The forelimbs of these reptiles are developed, as in marine ones. The difference is that they are equipped with membranes, have claws, and the paws of reptiles that live in the salt oceans are full fins.
Freshwater turtles, unlike other classes, are more widespread. They can be found in Europe, Asia, in both parts of America and Africa. The most famous species of freshwater turtles are the following:
- marsh;
- rubella;
- side-neck;
- soft-bodied.