Carapace
등딱지
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/speciesfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-speciesfyi="glossary" data-slug="carapace"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://speciesfyi.com/iframe/glossary/carapace/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://speciesfyi.com/glossary/carapace/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://speciesfyi.com/glossary/carapace/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/speciesfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<speciesfyi-glossary slug="carapace"></speciesfyi-glossary>Definition
The dorsal (upper) part of a turtle's or tortoise's shell, composed of fused bony plates and keratinous scutes.
Detailed Explanation
The turtle's shell is a uniquely derived structure — ribs are fused to dermal bones, making the spine immovably integrated with the shell. This is anatomically extraordinary: no other vertebrate has ribs dorsal to its shoulder girdle. Shell shape reflects ecology: flat streamlined shells in aquatic turtles, high domed shells in tortoises (perhaps deterring gulping by large predators). Shell scute patterns are used for individual identification in conservation monitoring.