Re: questions about the Odontochelys study

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

Michael Keesey wrote:

> Related question: why have no terrestrial testudines lost the
> plastron? Or even just reduced it? The only testudines with reduced
> plastra that I can think of are chelydrids (snapping turtles), and
> those are aquatic. Am I missing any other examples?

There is also plastron reduction in Chelus fimbriatus (mata-mata), but 
they're even more aquatic than most chelydrids.

Cheers,

--Mike


Michael Habib, M.S.
PhD. Candidate
Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
1830 E. Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21205
(443) 280 0181
habib@jhmi.edu