#Testudine

[generalluxun]

TESTUDINE IS HERE!

Alya Cesaire from my Chloe Goes Back in time AU with the turtle Miraculous. This was a commission from @catmelot They have done all the work for this AU(to keep a consistent look, and they're amazing!)

She is bombast. She is heroics. She is a bastion of Justice for all of Paris!

She takes pictures of herself in hero form(ala Peter Parker and Spiderman) to post on the Ladyblog. She's having the time of her life with Wayzz, and she hasn't even met the other heroes yet!

She gets her Miraculous in Crossing Blades, the second full fic in this AU.

[catmelot]

Thank you so much to everyone who bought me a commision!!!⭐⭐⭐ I'm so happy when I draw and I'm happier that I get to work with such kind and creative minds like yours!!!🥰

To whoever that read this, I wish you to have a wonderful amazing super cool and magnificente year💛😘⭐

[arquipetrus]

Stacking por PCPHOT

[great-and-small]

Today is reptile awareness day so Warlock says legally you have to be aware of him

[uncharismatic-fauna]

An Affinity for the Southern River Terrapin

The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), also known as the tungtung or the royal turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle residing, as its name implies, in the southern part of the Malaysian Peninsula, particularly along the western coast. They reside in estuaries, portions of large rivers that are regularly exposed to ocean tides.

While initially plain in appearance, the southern river terrapin can be visually striking. The body and shell are entirely black, or dark brown in females. The only spots of color are carried by males: bright yellow or white eyes and orange inner cheek flaps that are exposed when the mouth opens. Batagur affinis is also quite big, with females (the larger of the two sexes) reaching an average length of 62 cm (24 in) and a weight of 38 kg (83 lbs).

The tungtung is an omnivorous species. Its serrated beak allows it to feed on a variety of plants like grasses, algae, and fruits, as well as freshwater invertebrates like crustaceans and mollusks. Due to the high salinity of their habitats, they often leave the rivers and forage for food on land. The large size and thick shells of adults deters most predators. However, eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to monitor lizards, otters, birds of prey, and crocodiles.

Mating for Batagur affinis occurs from October to February. Males and females remain relatively solo throughout the rest of the year, although they aren't overly territorial. Once a male locates a female, the two touch noses and he pulses his jaw to emphasize his bright orange cheek pouches and the white stripes on the inside of his throat. After copulation, the female lays a clutch of 20-40 eggs in nests dug in the sandy river bank. Young royal turtles hatch anywhere from 60-120 days later, depending on the temperature of the nest. Juveniles can take 18-22 years to reach maturity. Adults regularly reach ages well over 45, and individuals as old as 100 have been recorded.

Conservation status: The southern river turtle is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Over-harvesting of both eggs and individuals has decimated populations, and those that remain are threatened by habitat destruction. However, both local and international conservation efforts have been underway to preserve the species and its ecosystem.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Eng Heng Chan

Paul Calle

Thorn Sophun

[an-artistic-failure]

Here’s some fanart for @pinetreevillain ‘s Timothy because he is perfect.

[life-on-our-planet]

A selection of tortoises

courtesy of Joel Sartore & the Photo Ark project

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

Three toed box turtle pretty please? They’re my favorite species and the state reptile of where I live but I still haven’t seen one in person :(( Someday…

Also heads up to the voters, their markings can vary quite a bit. Some will be plain brown all over, while some will have orange, yellow, blackish, and white spots.

Excellent choice! They're so charming :)

[snototter]

A pair of mating Greek tortoises (Testudo gracea) in Turkey

by Tim Melling

[alphynix]

Jiangxichelys neimongolensis was a terrestrial turtle that was part of an extinct group known as nanhsiungchelyids, whose closest living relatives today are the aquatic softshell turtles.

(This species was previously known as "Zangerlia” neimongolensis, but has since been moved into the genus Jiangxichelys instead.)

It lived towards the end of the Cretaceous, about 75-71 million years ago, in what is now the Gobi Desert – which at the time was more of a semi-arid climate with both rivers and sand dunes.

Its 60cm long (~2') carapace had a long wide shape that made it appear rather flattened from the front, but not to quite as much an extreme as its larger American cousin Basilemys.

Several fairly well-preserved specimens have been found that appear to have been buried alive, probably either engulfed by sudden sandstorms or trapped in collapsing burrows. This has preserved some anatomical details previously unknown in nanhsiungchelyids, such as the pattern of scales on top of the head and the presence of large bony osteoderms on the underside of the front toes, which may have aided with traction on loose sandy ground.

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References:

Brinkman, Donald, and Jiang-Hua Peng. "A new species of Zangerlia (Testudines: Nanhsiungchelyidae) from the Upper Cretaceous redbeds at Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, and the relationships of the genus." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 33.4 (1996): 526-540. https://doi.org/10.1139/e96-041

Brinkman, Donald B., et al. "New exceptionally well-preserved specimens of “Zangerlia” neimongolensis from Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, and their taxonomic significance." Comptes Rendus Palevol 14.6-7 (2015): 577-587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2014.12.005

Jerzykiewicz, T., et al. "Djadokhta Formation correlative strata in Chinese Inner Mongolia: an overview of the stratigraphy, sedimentary geology, and paleontology and comparisons with the type locality in the pre-Altai Gobi." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 30.10 (1993): 2180-2195. https://doi.org/10.1139/e93-190

Tong, Haiyan, and Lu Li. "A revision of the holotype of Nanhsiungchelys wuchingensis, Ye, 1966 (Testudines: Cryptodira: Trionychoidae: Nanhsiungchelyidae)." Cretaceous Research 95 (2019): 151-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2018.11.003

Tong, Haiyan, et al. "New material of Jiangxichelys ganzhouensis Tong & Mo, 2010 (Testudines: Cryptodira: Nanhsiungchelyidae) and its phylogenetic and palaeogeographical implications." Geological Magazine 154.3 (2017): 456-464. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756816000108

Wikipedia contributors. “Nanhsiungchelyidae.” Wikipedia, 19 Nov. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanhsiungchelyidae

[haveyouseenthisanimal-irl]

Blue is sea turtles, black is land turtles

[generalluxun]

The Joy of the Paragon

Alya Cesaire has never doubted doing the right thing was its own reward. She grew up with the tales of heroes in her ears and their lessons in her heart.

She didn't need to put on a cape to be a hero. Even within her family she shone, grabbing the 'middle child' role with both hands and making the most of it. With two parents working long hours, a big sister more suited towards violence than domestication, and not one bit two little sisters, Alya took on the role of 'mom' because it needed to be done. She didn't do it for attention or praise. She did it because it made her family stronger and happier.

Reporting was a means for Alya to help those with powers better do their part. Majestia might be able to stand easily against any threat, but she only had two eyes to watch for crime. For all his her cunning detective work Night Owl was only one man woman. By ferreting out evil wherever it might lurk, even a as a civilian Alya might make a difference.

And then she moved to Paris. And then Ladybug Arose. And then a chance meeting. And now Testudine can protect the innocent, both behind and in front of the mask.

It is important how each hero came to their powers:

Marinette was Chosen for potential.

Nino was called on in a time of need.

Chloé grabbed power with both hands.

Adrien was gifted power because he was the one in need.

Alya uniquely was given power to help her be the hero she already was. She would have faced down Darkblade's soldiers, armed with nothing but a rock and the knowledge that Jade Turtle couldn't protect himself, not because she thought she fould win but because it was the right thing to do.

Some writers bemoan Paragons as boring. Those writers suck. The role of Paragon is a vital one. They remind us that good is worth doing for its own sake. Helping others isn't a burden, it's a fulfillment. Heroics isn't about grief, it is about joy. Fighting evil isn't about winning, it is about the fight.

In the team Testudine is the one who keeps them from being simply participants in a super powered struggle. Refrain is the gentle pragmatism of the team, Testudine is the explosive optimism. She is second only to Purrge for charging in headlong, but her goals and methods are almost diametrically opposed to the Cat holder's.

The two will become closer though, mutual antagonism bleeding quickly into frenemy rivalry and impromptu brawls.

Ladybug will benefit greatly from having Testudine on the team. 'Ladybug's got the best head on the team. Sometimes it just takes my boot on her butt to get it in the game.'

Refrain is often relieved when Testudine is around. She requires the least 'care', but her ability to get him into trouble is uncanny.

Outfox and Testudine don't get along well. There's no overt antagonism like with Purrge, but she just can't trust a hero with that many secrets about them.

I hope this little insight into Alya Cesaire from my Chloé goes back in Time AU was enjoyable to read! She's a character I love to include in fics.

[snoftshell-snurtle]

this blog is officially a turtle hobby space once more, on the principle that rest and creativity are good for the mind. the politics will continue as usual on my main. anyway garden state tortoise is my favorite youtube channel and their latest episode (Building the Ultimate Backyard Turtle Garden! First Steps!) features this guy

who is actually an adult box turtle, decades old, whose growth is stunted for unknown reasons but is otherwise perfectly healthy. he is just very small!

[weepingwidar]

Robert Smithson (American, 1938-1973) - Algae, Algae (ca. 1961-1963)

[uncharismatic-fauna]

saw the "please ask me about turtles" and i have to ask - is there an actual difference between turtles and tortoises? i feel like my silly laymans understanding is that tortoises are on land and turtles go in water sometimes. but is there an actual designation lol

You've got the general distinction down pat! Although there are some turtles that are entirely terrestrial (namely box turtles), the general rule of thumb is that turtles can swim and spend at least some of their time in the water, while tortoises cannot swim at all and live exclusively on land.

The more technical difference is that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. All turtles, including tortoises, belong to the order Testudines, but within that order tortoises belong to the family Testudinidae, while other turtles have their own seperate families (so snapping turtles, for example, belong to the family Chelydridae).

Hope this answers your question!

(Image: A woodland box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) by Richard Coldiron)

[rebeccathenaturalist]

I was out for a walk in my parents' neighborhood the other day when I happened across this lovely three-toed box turtle (Terrapene triunguis). Box turtles are one of the things I've missed since moving to the PNW almost two decades ago, so it was lovely to get to see one of my favorite reptiles in the flesh after so long. This one looks like they've been in some scrapes over the years given the condition of the shell, but they looked to be in good health otherwise. Good luck, little buddy!