Turtles (Testudines) have captivated evolutionary biologists for decades due to their distinct morphology and ancient origins. Recent studies have elucidated the evolutionary transformations that led ...

A newly discovered early turtle fossil from 228 million years ago is missing something crucial: its shell. But in the long, intriguing tale of turtle evolution, turtles didn't always have it all -- ...

Dude, it’s time to chill out! It’s time to leave all the rush behind you and enjoy the most relaxed version of the Evolution series: the turtles are finally here! Get ready to embrace all the peace of ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The broad-shelled river turtle (Chelodina expansa) falls into a group known as side-neck turtles.

A 260 million-year-old fossil has been determined to be the oldest ancestor of turtles found to date, revealing something about the reptile's mysterious past. Michelle Starr is CNET's science editor, ...

Family ties The turtle is a closer relative of crocodiles and birds than of lizards and snakes, according to researchers who claim to have solved an age-old riddle in animal evolution. The ancestry of ...

The turtle neck retraction requires distinctive cervical features. Turtles are classified into two main categories, depending on whether they retract their heads by pulling them straight backwards, ...

It's a long-held idea that turtles can tuck their heads into their shells when threatened. But is it true? And is this protective trick why turtles the world over have shells today? The answer is that ...

Cartoons often suggest turtles wear shells like removable armor. Those stories show turtles stepping out, swapping shells, or ...