Euphrates turtle is the only soft shell turtle of Iran, and unfortunately is in danger of extinction due to multiple reasons. Imaging techniques, in addition to their importance in diagnosis of injuries to animals, have been used as non-invasive methods to provide normal anatomic views. A few studies have been conducted to understand body structure of the Euphrates turtle. Since there is only g...

The phylogeny and phylogeography of Emys orbicularis was inferred from mitochondrial nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene analysed by DNA sequencing and RNA heteroduplex analysis. Within the family Emydidae the monotypic genus Emys is affiliated with the nearctic taxa Emydoidea blandingii and Clemmys marmorata. The analysis of 423 individuals of E. orbicularis, originating throughout i...

The cerebral cortex of the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans consists of five areas, L, D2, D1, DM and M, forming narrow strips curving in parallel around the hemisphere. The cell types of the cortex were studied with the Golgi method in areas D1 and D2. The principle cell type possesses a soma in the cellular layer, spiny apical and basal dendrites, and a local axon aborization as well as long-...

The oropharynx as a functional entity plays a fundamental role in feeding. Transitions from aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles in vertebrates demanded major changes of the oropharynx for the required adaptations to a different feeding environment. Extant turtles evolved terrestrial feeding modes in three families (testudinids, emydids, geoemydids)-independently from other amniotes-and are theref...

Juvenile Chinese three-keeled pond turtles (Chinemys reevesii) were subjected to one of four different feeding regimens: ad libitum (AL), restricted (R), ad libitum-restricted (AL-R), or restricted-ad libitum (R-AL) for 13 weeks, to assess the compensatory growth (CG) response to food restriction and subsequent re-alimentation. After switching to ad libitum feeding, the turtles in R-AL group at...

The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland sea. Physiographically it is unique. It is the most productive body of water in the world1 and the only one that preserves the geno-fund of the sturgeon, the source of almost all the black caviar produced. About 10 million people live around the Caspian Sea and the occupations of many of them are connected with the sea, and first of all with fishing...

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) has been a species of global concern for decades. As an attempt to study health status of nesting green turtles, Blood biochemistry and hematological values were obtained from 18 clinically normal, nesting female green sea turtles on the northern coast of the sea of Oman. Mean curved carapace length (CCL) was 111±4 cm with a range of 103—122 cm. Barnacles were ...

All seven extant species of sea turtles are considered endangered or threatened with extinction. Because of their commercial value for food (particularly the green turtle) and for craft materials (bekko or tortoiseshell from the hawksbill turtle) they have been heavily exploited around the world. Sea turtles are also charismatic animals to view in large aquaria and three species have proven eas...

Citizen science is emerging as a powerful tool for the early detection of biological invasions. The exotic pet trade has been deemed most significant cause establishment reptiles, and among them, turtles have highest number introduction events. In Europe, at least 13 species alien freshwater recorded in wild. Greece, only two reported, namely American pond slider Trachemys scripta Florida coote...