Early in the Evolution of the Turtle Body (IMAGE)

University of the Witwatersrand

Early in the Evolution of the Turtle Body

Caption

Early in the evolution of the turtle body plan a gradual increase in body wall rigidity produced a division of function where the abdominal muscles became specialized for breathing, which freed up the ribs to eventually (approximately 50 million years later) become fully integrated into the characteristic turtle shell.

Credit

Credit: Blair Lyons (Stroma Studios) and Emma R. Schachner

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