One Flew Over the Turtle's Nest Quiz

Answer: They secrete their urine through their mouth.

Chinese soft-shelled turtles make their homes in freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers throughout China and the countries of the Far East. They have been harvested for hundreds of years for their meat and for folk remedy tonics. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle has an elongated snout which is used like a snorkel.

This predominantly carnivorous turtle feasts on fish, mollusks, insects, crustaceans. They often submerge their heads in the water at which time they expel their urine through their mouths. This is an adaptation which allows them to live in brackish water.

Instead of urinating through their cloaca as most turtles do, they simply rinse out their mouths with water while expelling their urea.

Answer: Galapagos turtle

This image is of Harriet, a Galapagos turtle and long-time resident of the Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia. She died on June 23, 2004. This amazing turtle was brought to Australia by Charles Darwin himself, after his first visit to the islands.

The Galapagos turtle is one of the largest in the world reaching 330-440 lbs. or 150 to 200 kgs. They sleep approximately sixteen hours a day and follow a daily routine that they set up early in life. These turtles have been known to reach ages of 177 years in captivity.

Answer: Leatherback turtle

The leatherback turtle is the largest turtle in the world and is known for having a leather-like shell that can feel rather rubbery when it is wet. These magnificent turtles can be found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and their migratory patterns can be extremely long. Populations have declined in recent decades, mostly caused by intense egg collection and accidental entrapment by fishing nets. Jellyfish are the favorite snack of the leatherback turtle and is the major component of their diet.

In the wild, the leatherback can live half a century.

Answer: Check the sharpness of the spines on their shells.

The spiny turtle, Heosemys spinosa, are unusual turtles found in Southeast Asia. They have been harvested for years as food. The age of this species of turtle can be estimated closely by how sharp the spikes are that decorate the edges of their shells.

When young, these spikes are very sharp, but as the turtle ages the spikes wear down. By the time old age has set in, the turtle has nubs where the spikes used to be. The locals believe the younger the turtle, the more tender the meat. Spiny shells are also thought to be a form of camouflage, helping a turtle blend into the background.

Answer: Diamondback terrapin

The lovely lady in this image is a diamondback terrapin. This turtle feeds on snails, small fish, clams, worms, and crabs. They live exclusively in brackish waters and are thought to be the only turtle to do so. They can be found in estuaries, lagoons, and tidal marshes.

When temperatures drop, the diamondback terrapin burrows into the mud to hibernate. These turtles make their nests in sandy soil. Like many reptiles, the sex of the offspring is influenced by the local temperature. The higher the temperatures, the more females will be born, while the lower the temperatures, the more male offspring will be produced.

Answer: False

First of all, turtles are reptiles, not amphibians, so the answer is false. For the most part, the difference between the three is a matter of semantics as opposed to scientific species or subspecies. Usually, the term turtle is used for all members of the chelonian family. Turtles usually live in or near water, while tortoises usually live in arid regions and are designed to store their own drinking water and to walk on land as opposed to swim. Terrapin is a term used for turtles who fall somewhere between these two parameters.

They usually live in swampy areas or start their life underwater before moving to dry land.

Answer: Plastron

The plastron is the term for the bottom shell on a turtle. The other three options are all part of the upper shell or carapace. The Florida redbelly turtle is found in northern Florida and the very southeastern parts of the state of Georgia. They are found in marshes, lakes, and ponds.

They dine mostly on aquatic plants and are often seen sunning themselves in the slow-moving rivers of the area while sitting on logs, or floating debris.

Answer: Big-headed turtle

Found in many areas of eastern Asia, the big-headed turtle makes its home in rocky, mountain streams and brooks. It prefers cold, fast-moving water. This is an oddly shaped turtle with an oversized head. The head is triangular in shape and cannot be withdrawn into its shell when threatened.

At the turn of the 21st century, very little was known about this turtles mating habits and daily activities due to their choice of habitat and their rarity. They are nocturnal and can inflict a nasty bite if provoked.

Answer: True

The shell of a turtle is an ingenious design made up of about 50 different bones which are actually considered to be the evolutionary modification of a rib cage and vertebral column. Despite what you may have seen in a cartoon, turtles cannot take off their shell and climb out.

The carapace and the plastron are joined together on the side by a bony bridge. Some turtles do have a movable joint which acts somewhat like a hinge allowing the animal to pull the top and bottom closer together after retracting its body inside. Turtle shells are alive and have both a blood supply and nerves embedded within. If damaged they can bleed and feel pain.

Answer: Removing parasites from warthogs.

The marsh terrapin, also known as the African helmeted turtle, is known to remove parasites from warthogs, rhinos, and Cape buffalos. They have been observed removing ticks and bloodsucking flies from these animals while the larger animal is basking in a water hole.

This unusual creature is also known in the pet world as an African side-necked turtle due to habitually tucking their heads.