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Science & Medicine

10 shocking facts about turtles? You be the judge

Turtles and tortoises are believed to have existed for about 210 million years, making them among of the oldest organisms on Earth. An Aldabra giant tortoise is shown here.

Turtles and tortoises are believed to have existed for about 210 million years, making them among of the oldest organisms on Earth. An Aldabra giant tortoise is shown here.   (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images)

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“More people need to be in shock about turtles,” says herpetologist Brad Shaffer of UCLA. Shaffer was the lead author on a recent paper about the mapping of the painted turtle genome. He provided us with these 10 shocking facts about turtles.

Cool dudes, hot girls

Most turtle eggs have temperature-dependent sex determination. Eggs that are kept at warm temperatures produce females, while those at cool temperatures make males.   (Asit Kumar / AFP/Getty Images)

Not a very diverse group of animals

There are just 331 species of turtles throughout the world.   (Heri Juanda / Associated Press )

Turtles have very weird shoulders

Like most turtles, this rare baby Arakan forest turtle has shoulders that connect to its body inside its rib cage -- or shell. Turtles are the only vertebrates on Earth whose arms connect to their body this way.  (Gene Blythe / Associated Press )

California has just one native turtle, and one native tortoise

The western pond turtle, shown here, and the desert tortoise are the only turtle and tortoise species native to California.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The great turtle divide

Turtles in the Northern Hemisphere pull their heads straight into the shells; turtles in the Southern Hemisphere pull their heads in to the side, so just one eye is looking at you.  (Hoan Dinh Nam / AFP/Getty Images)

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