2007-03-20 04:20:11 · 8 answers · asked by the_happy_green_fish 5 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
If you find an empty turtle or tortoise shell and look inside, you'll see the vertebrae lined up along the top inside ridge of the shell with little holes in them for the spinal cord.
The vertebra and ribs combine to form the back shell (carapace) and the breastbone makes up the belly shell (plastron).
This is one reason a tortoise cannot remove its shell- it is part of its skeleton.
2007-03-20 04:35:57 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes they do. Tortoises are reptiles and all reptiles are vertebrates, or animals with a spine. In the tortoise, the spine is fused with the inside of the shell.
2007-03-20 04:26:26 · answer #2 · answered by David Y 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it's attacted to the inside of the tortoises' shell.
2007-03-20 17:44:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, of course they do! Its connected to the top of their shell and looks just like ours but its connected to the shell.
They also have ribs that are connected to their shells. Its odd, but turtles and tortoises have everything connected to their shell. Its not like in the movies where they can leave their shell whenever they want. They're 'super glued' in there.
2007-03-20 05:12:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It's actually partially attached to the upper shell.
2007-03-20 04:26:22 · answer #5 · answered by SabrinaD 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Of course they do! They have a skeleton same as any vertebrate does. It's just that they have evolved a hard shell too.
2007-03-20 04:23:57 · answer #6 · answered by bumblecherry 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe they do, but do they where Boxer shorts inside there shells like on the cartoons!
2007-03-20 04:31:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not on the inside, their shell is their skeleton.
2007-03-20 04:24:18 · answer #8 · answered by billy 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋