turtle surprise

[Kayb]

Was googling randomly and found this pic of a rare turtle and was actually quite surprised... I didn't actually think the WoW turtles were based on real ones


/new fact learnt

[Vephriel]

Unfortunately that sort of shell is not a natural or healthy appearance, it's something called 'pyramiding'.

[Wain]

Oh, I had no idea. I figured it was just how tortoises looked in some places. We don't have anything like that here anyway.

[zedxrgal]

Unfortunately that sort of shell is not a natural or healthy appearance, it's something called 'pyramiding'.

This isn't exactly true as many species of turtle and tortoise have spiky scutes normally. Certain species of snapping turtle naturally have them, namely the alligator snapping turtle and certain species of sulcata tortoises. Namely the african spiky (aka spurred) tortoise. They been pulled from the wild perfectly healthy with spiky scutes.
I'm not saying this to be rude but so I hope it won't be taken that way. Just wanted to put the information out there that some species do have raised scutes and it's not an unhealthy animal.

BUT. Yes poorly raise captive animals can have raised scutes generally from not enough humidity and improper diet /not enough vitamins.

[Wain]

Ah so I wasn't going crazy in thinking I'd seen spiked turtles in wildlife magazines

[Teigan]

That is interesting. I thought spiked scutes always meant an unhealthy animal. The more you know!

[Kurasu]

The funny thing is, the dragon turtles look a *LOT* like a spiny turtle.

....'s *belly*. Not *back*.

The back:


The belly:

[Wain]

Wow, they really do. I wonder if that's what the artists used for inspiration. They're pretty amazing.

[Xota]

Alligator snapping turtles (not a close relation to common snapping turtles) look kinda like that, but right-side-up.

[Kayb]

I feel so.... unknowing.. Makes me wonder what god damned bears they were referencing then.