02/05/2023
龜殼有神經線，所以龜龜感覺痛楚 ，要小心照顧
【環境及自然保育基金資助 - 保育本地淡水龜教育計劃】龜殼知多少🐢
大家細個睇卡通片有冇見過啲龜可以脫殼而逃呢💨？其實現實中係無可能㗎！淡水龜擁有堅硬嘅龜甲 (除咗鱉類)。呢個堅硬嘅殼原來有好多特徵同功能㗎：
1⃣ 龜殼原來有兩層，面層係盾板，類似人類指甲嘅組成咁，而下層係骨板層，連接住脊椎骨，所以龜嘅身體係無法同龜殼分離㗎👩🏾🏫！
2⃣ 龜殼除咗有保護作用外，原來仲有其他特別功能㗎！淡水龜或海龜嘅殼骨板上其實有好多細孔，幫助佢哋維持喺水中嘅浮力。而淡水龜骨板上嘅細孔較大*，對棲息喺密度較低嘅淡水中，大大增加浮力，有利於游動！
3⃣ 我哋人類量度身高嘅時候，都係會由頭量到腳。但係喺龜嘅世界就唔同啦，由於好多龜嘅頭部、四肢同埋尾巴都經常縮入龜殼入面，再加上背甲會隆起彎曲，所以只可以用「甲長」的方式量度📏，亦即係龜殼最前端至龜殼最後端嘅直線距離。
⚠️雖然龜殼能夠保護淡水龜嘅身體，不過最好保護淡水龜嘅方式一定係守護淡水龜嘅家園🏠，保持淡水生境潔淨💪🏾！
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在此刊物/任何的項目活動內表達的任何意見、研究成果、結論或建議，並不一定反映香港特別行政區政府、環境及自然保育基金委員會及環境運動委員會的觀點。
[Environment and Conservation Fund: Key to Better Conservation for Native Freshwater Turtles Education Programme] Shell structure of a turtle🐢
Have you ever seen a cartoon where a turtle can escape from its shell💨? In fact, it is not possible! Other than softshell turtles, many turtles have solid shell structure. The structure demonstrates many interesting traits and abilities:
1⃣ The shell consists of two layers - scute on the top which is similar to our nails and a bone layer underneath. The turtle’s vertebrae are actually attached to the bone layer. Hence, turtle’s body cannot be separated from the shell at all👩🏾🏫!
2⃣ A unique ability also specialized to freshwater turtles! The underneath shell layer is covered with lots of pores to create buoyancy for the animal. It was revealed that those pores on freshwater turtles are larger than other types of turtles* which could benefit their movement in freshwater with lower density.
3⃣ Besides, given that we can measure our height directly from head to toe. However, many turtles have heads, limbs and a tail that can always be retracted into the shell. Thus, the “Carapace Length”📏 from the front of the shell to the back rather than from head to tail is a generally adopted method because the carapace is often curved.
⚠️Though the carapace can protect freshwater turtles from danger, the best “protection” to freshwater turtles is to save their home🏠! Let’s protect freshwater habitat by keeping it pristine and clean💪🏾!
*Reference:
Krauss, S., Ornan, E. M., Zelzer, E., Fratzl, P., & Shahar, R. (2009). Mechanical Function of a Complex Three-Dimensional Suture Joining the Bony Elements in the Shell of the Red-Eared Slider Turtle. Advanced Materials 21(4): 407-412.
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Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/event do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, theEnvironment and Conservation Fund and Environmental Campaign Committee
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