Q. What kind of turtles are there in the San Marcos River?
There are A. many turtle species in the San Marcos River, so I will focus on some of the more common and interesting ones in Texas and in Spring Lake.
First, let’s talk terminology. Turtles, tortoises, and terrapins — what’s the difference? All are reptiles with bony or cartilaginous shells. They belong to the taxonomic order of Testudines, or Chelonii — which comes from the Greek word ‘khelone,’ meaning interlocking shields or armor. Interestingly, their shell — unlike claws, nails, horns, and beaks — contains nerves, so they are quite receptive to feeling through their shells. For example, they can feel the pressure of weight on their shells and will experience pain if their shell is broken or cracked. They are typical reptiles: cold-blooded (ectothermic), have scales, breathe air and lay eggs on land. (What’s the difference) The terms are often used interchangeably, especially depending on the area of the world you are in. What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise? A turtle is a semi-aquatic animal with webbed feet, while tortoise is a terrestrial animal with clubbed feet, domed shell and generally inhabits warmer regions. For the purposes of this column, we’ll discuss turtles.
