Turtles and tortoises of different species possess shells with various sizes, colors, and shapes, yet all share one characteristic – hard and protective shells. Environmental conditions, nutrition, diseases or trauma may impact how effective or visible a shell appears – knowing more about your turtle or tortoise’s shell can help determine their health status.
Normal Turtle Shells
Turtles and tortoises possess two shells: the carapace (the top or dorsal shell), as well as a plastron (the bottom or ventral shell). Both should always be hard unless hatchling turtles or aquatic species always require soft shells for survival; both parts connect on one side of their bodies for maximum protection of organs and the majority of body areas, with visible sections known as scutes connecting these parts together on each side.
What is a Tortoise Scute? Tortoises feature hard scales called Scutes which cover their shell like individual plates. Scutes serve as protective armor that shield their bones and epithelia.
Scutes, like fingernails, are made of keratin. Scutes cover an epithelium layer overlying the bony shell. As turtles or tortoises grow larger, their epithelium secretes newer and bigger scutes beneath the outer scutes that cover an older layer – typically shed off as individual sections when their skin sheds off as water turtles age and shed off skin layers; land turtles do not shed theirs but their outer layers may wear down from burrowing species that inhabit burrows exposing bones beneath. Land turtles and tortoises attach their spine and ribs directly to carapace shell bones located behind their eyes!