Biology of Turtles: From Structures to Strategies of Life

by Jeanette Wyneken (Editor), Matthew H. Godfrey (Editor), Vincent Bels (Editor)

Overview

Featuring in-depth contributions from an international team of experts, the Biology of Turtles provides the first comprehensive review of the Testudinata. The book starts with the premise that the structure of turtles is particularly interesting and best understood within the context of their development, novelty, functional diversity, and evolution. It provides a robust discussion of the development and diversity of the shell. The book also explores the turtle body plan, its physiological and ecological consequences, evolutionary novelties, and their importance. The 200 illustrations found throughout the text enhance the chapters combine with color illustrations of the development of the shell, aspects of bone structural diversity, growth, and skeletochronology, to make this book an unparalleled resource. The volume concludes with a thoughtful discussion of the more than century long debate on the origins of turtles and the reasons why our understanding of the phylogenic origins and evolution of turtles remains tentative.

Currently available books on this subject are woefully out of date and no overall review of Testudinata has been undertaken…until now. Each chapter represents a milestone in synthesizing a wide range of available information on specific subjects. The book’s challenge: look both inside and outside the shell to build a clearer understanding of the diversity and evolution of turtles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780849333392
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/26/2007
Pages:	404
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jeanette Wyneken, Matthew H. Godfrey, Vincent Bels

Table of Contents

How the Turtle Gets Its Shell.
Comparative Ontogenetic and Phylogenetic Aspects of Chelonian Chondro-Osseous Growth and Skeletochronology. Evolution and Structure of the Turtle Shell. Long Bone Allometry in Tortoises and Turtles. Evolution of Locomotion in Aquatic Turtles.
Hindlimb Function in Turtle Locomotion: Limb Movements and Muscular Activation Across Taxa, Environment, and Ontogeny. Cervical Anatomy and Function in Turtles.
Functional Evolution of Feeding Behavior in Turtles.
The Cardiopulmonary Systems of Turtles: Implications to Behavior and Function.
Reproductive Structures and Strategies of Turtles.
Mixed and Uniform Brood Sex Ratio Strategy in Turtles: The Facts, the Theory, and their Consequences.
The Physiology and Anatomy of Anoxia Tolerance in the Freshwater Turtle Brain.
The Relationships of Turtles within Amniotes.
Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Given the excitement engendered by the flurry of genome projects, coupled with the deep concern for their conservation and survival, there couldn’t be a better time for a comprehensive survey of the biology of turtles. … When considering the entire volume, I found that the organization and layout of the book worked well. Most of the images were of reasonable quality, and the all-important anatomical photographs were usually clear and easy to use.

I found this to be a great volume that I love having on my bookshelf. … Certainly for specialists, it is an important reference guide, and one that I find myself using a lot."

—H. Bradley Shaffer, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Copeia, December 2012

"The volume covers a remarkable range of topics at very different levels… the chapters are well written and well illustrated… this is an excellent addition to our knowledge of evolutionary, developmental, and functional aspects of turtle morphology… It seems likely that chapters in this volume will become standard references for current and future generations of turtle biologists."
—Peter A. Meylan, Collegium of Natural Sciences, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida, in Phyllomedusa,Volume 7, September 2008

"… Notable strengths'! A laudable layout change after 2 previous turtle-content books by CRC Press (Lutz et a!. 2003) is that The Biology of Turtles has all chapters stand independent with a reference list, yet included the helpful index of subjects and authors cross-referenced in the text, regardless of chapter. The improvement in accessibility creates a more user-friendly reference for the target audience. The images and figures are frequent, clear, and well-juxtaposed with the text…."
—Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter, Issue 13

"This book, a multiauthored, comprehensive study of turtle anatomy, physiology, evolution, and behavior, provides the first modern, broad but detailed scientific examination of turtles. … this is the best … broad-based scientific work on turtles. It will be valuable to anyone interested in turtle biology, and should be on the shelf of any good library of vertebrate animal biology."
— M. S. Grace, Florida Institute of Technology in CHOICE, January 2009

"Functional morphologists have joined forces with paleontologists, physiologists, developmental biologists, modelers and ecologists to provide excellent new perspectives on the biology of turtles. … the volume will be of great value to herpetologists of all kinds … . … this is an excellent addition to our knowledge of evolutionary, developmental and functional aspects of turtle morphology. It seems likely that chapters in this volume will become standard references for the current and future generations of turtle biologists."
– Peter A. Meylan, Collegium of Natural Sciences, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida in Phyllomedusa Vol. 7(1), September 2008

"… chapters are successful, and the book provides a solid basis for future morphological research. … the turtle research community owes their thanks to the editors and chapter authors."
— C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida in Marine Turtle Newsletter, 122:12-13, 2008

". . . provides the first comprehensive review of the Testudinata in and out of the shell."
– In Herpetological Review, 2008, Vol. 38, No. 3

From the Publisher