Turtles (Testudines) have captivated evolutionary biologists for decades due to their distinct morphology and ancient origins. Recent studies have elucidated the evolutionary transformations that led ...

Family ties The turtle is a closer relative of crocodiles and birds than of lizards and snakes, according to researchers who claim to have solved an age-old riddle in animal evolution. The ancestry of ...

Ever consider the question of whether a turtle can truly pull its head into its shell like a cartoon representation in a children’s tale? The answer is far from being merely yes or no. As mentioned in ...

Scientists have identified a 50-million-year-old fossil sea turtle in northern Syria, marking the country’s first formally described fossil vertebrate species. The discovery, detailed inPapers in ...

In vertebrates, the formation of feathers, hair, and scales is typically governed by molecular genetic factors. However, crocodile head scales are an exception, as they form through a purely ...

A study shows that turtles use both genetic signals and mechanical forces to form the scales on their heads, revealing a shared heritage with crocodiles and dinosaurs. In vertebrates, the formation of ...

Scientists have discovered the fossilised remains of an ancient turtle without a shell, that lived 228 million years ago. Researchers from China’s Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and ...

This one-ton turtle once ruled South America’s rivers — until a changing planet proved too much for even the largest ...