Uncovered in south west China last year, Odontochelys semistestacea seems to be the oldest known turtle fossil – believed to date 220 million years back. More important it was used to put back the pieces regarding the evolution of the turtle shell.

Since long, paleontologists have been debating over the course of how the turtle developed its shell as some claimed that it evolved from underneath the body, while the other talked about it having been an extension of the scaly skin on top. And now we have the answer.

The uncovered fossil definitively supported the theory that the shell would have formed from below as extensions of the backbone and ribs, rather than as bony plates from the skin as others have theorized.

The fossil with its half formed lower shell and an absent upper shell proved the fact that it was the lower shell that first came into existence as a defensive mechanism of marine animals to protect themselves from attacks coming from the depths of the sea. As they started evolving as land creatures, the upper shell became an equally important form of defense and continued the evolution into its next step.

This also suggested to the team of scientists from Canada, China and the US who undertook this extensive research that the earliest turtles were indeed marine creatures and later moved onto land.

Source: DailyMail

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Golfina Turtles, also known as Olive Ridley turtles are endangered and listed on the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. Whew! It’s a good thing the turtles don’t have to know the name of that organization from memory to survive.

Salvadorans released 1,500 of the little critters that had been born into capitivity into the sea on October 10th.

“Swim, little buddy, swim!”

“Uh, where should I go?”

“You’re free, you’re free!”

“Um, when’s dinner?”

I don’t know about rearing animals in captivity then setting them free. I don’t think that always works right, does it?

What do you think are the chances for the little fellows?

We say, or at least some people say, that two heads are better than one. The Japanese say “sannin yoreba monchuu no chie” which roughly translates to three heads being better than one.

But, not always.

In China’s Hunan province a gecko has been found with a head on each of its body. The little fellow was found wandering to and fro, back and forth, going here and there, trying to make up his minds in an antique shop. He’s slow, but can go both directions.

“Where you want to go?”

“I don’t know. Where you want to go?”

Meanwhile -

In Japan, not wanting to be outdone by China, a two headed turtle was found in Moriyama. The little boy who found him named the amphibian ‘Takara’ meaning treasure. The cause? Researchers say it was NOT pollution but rather some sort of natural phenomenon. Takara is alive!

Yeah, right!

More critters with two heads -

A two faced cat.

A two headed goat.

A two headed snake.

Another two headed turtle.

A two headed lamb born in China

A two headed arowana fish in an aquarium shop in Shah Alam. They are not dead but can’t swim either.

My advice … don’t drink the water.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5