This punk turtle breathing through his anus is threatened

mybestnews (2)in #animalphotography • 6 years ago

This punk turtle breathing through his anus is threatened

The Mary River turtle, which can spend up to three days underwater, has joined the list of threatened reptiles of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). © Chris VAN WYK, ZSL, AFP

The Mary River turtle in Australia is listed as a threatened reptiles by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). This turtle sometimes has a crest of green algae on its head and can breathe through its anus and cloaca, allowing it to stay in the water longer.

The Mary River turtle in Australia, sometimes with a punk-like algae crest, has joined the list of threatened reptiles of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which also includes many lizards and snakes. This turtle, whose scientific name is Elusor macrurus , lives in the Australian state of Queensland in the waters of the Mary River. She is "very peculiar" , says in a statement the ZSL , which this week added 100 new species of reptiles to its list Edge ( Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered ), created in 2007.

The Mary River turtle has an organ, the cloaca , which serves not only to urinate or lay eggs , but also to breathe under water through the skin. "This turtle is able to stay underwater for up to three days - without coming back to the surface, thanks to this strange ability to breathe through its hindquarters , " Rikki Gumbs told AFP. from Imperial College London , who participated in the Edge List.

A turtle with a green algae crest on his head

Another peculiarity of the species: some individuals are endowed with a fluorescent green crest, in fact seaweeds . "Mary River turtles spend so much time submerged underwater that some find themselves covered with seaweed and can end up with quite impressive cuts! " Ignites Rikki Gumbs.

Recognized as a species apart only in 1994, this turtle suffered from its popularity as a pet in the 1970s and 1980s. It also saw its natural habitat destroyed by the construction of dams. Its eggs are collected for the animal trade, while its sexual maturity is late, sometimes not before 25 years. "Reptiles are often the last wheel of the coach in terms of preservation," said Rikki Gumbs. "Like tigers, rhinos and elephants, it is vital to do everything possible to save these unique and often overlooked animals , " he said. The Edge list also includes the Brookesia minima chameleon from Madagascar, which measures just three centimeters, or the gaval of the Ganges, a crocodile.

These turtles breathe through their anus to survive in the cold

Article by Marie-Céline Ray published November 28, 2017

In winter, aquatic turtles , such as the painted turtle, in Canada hibernate in the water of rivers, lakes and ponds under the ice. Ectothermes, they do not need to heat their bodies. And to breathe ... they use their anus and cloaca: it's cloacal breathing.

When it's cold, our body uses energy to keep its temperature constant. This is not the case with turtles, which are ectothermic: their body temperature depends on the outside temperature. In cold water, in winter, the body temperature of the animal, which hibernates, remains relatively stable. Turtle metabolism is slow and requires less energy and oxygen . But how do they breathe when they hibernate in the water under the ice?

At The Conversation , Jacqueline Litzgus, Professor of Biology at Laurentian University (Canada), shares some of the secrets of the aquatic turtles. In Ontario, winters are long and many turtles are inactive for more than half of their lives. Jacqueline Litzgus's team studies turtle species that live and hibernate in the water. Many of them are threatened with extinction .

Painted turtles breathe through their anus to survive in the cold. Here, they warm up in the sun. © juerpa68, Fotolia

Cloacal breathing adapted to low oxygen needs

Turtles have lungs to use oxygen in the air , but they do not use it during hibernation . When they hibernate under the ice, they absorb oxygen from the water through the surfaces of their bodies on which blood vessels are exposed. This is enough to provide them with the amount of oxygen they need for their low needs. A region of the turtle's body is highly vascularized: the backside. The turtles breathe thanks to their anal and cloacal areas ...

During the winter , oxygen may be missing in a pond. Some turtles like the painted turtle, a North American species, can cope with this situation by adapting their metabolism so that they do not need oxygen at all. In the spring, these anaerobic turtles, full of cramps, are exposed to the sun to increase their body temperature, activate their metabolism and eliminate the acids produced.

This article appeared first on https://www.futura-sciences.com/planete/actualites/tortue-cette-tortue-punk-respire-son-anus-menacee-69366/
This post as well as its images are released under a CC BY 4.0 License