OT Softshell Turtle Plastrons

[Walden]

When I was a child, I found a small softshell turtle, in a creek, seemed to be perfectly healthy, but it had no shell on its underside, such that its body was completely exposed. Is this usual?

[gonzo914]

What you probably encountered was the rare hermit turtle, a reclusive species whose limited range includes only small parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. Also known as the Kan-ok-ar-mo turtle, this turtle, as the name implies, has no shell of its own, but rather appropriates suitable replacements, much like the better known and less edible hermit crab.

The hermit turtle usually has preference for the skeletal carapaces of deceased turtles of other species, but they have been found inhabiting receptables as varied as pop cans, powder compacts, mandolin bodies and Cool Whip containers. One was even found in southeast Kansas living in the headlight housing of a 1963 Edsel.

It's unusual that you were able to handle the one you found, for the hermit turtle is the only reptile that employes temporal shifting as a defense against predators. When confronted with danger, these elusive little beasties usually just project themselves into a point in the future when the predator has given up and gone away.

Hermit turtle makes pretty good gumbo -- not a good as hawk but definitely better than owl.

[satyricon234]

Once when I was a little kid I heard my dog barking excitedly. When I went outside to check I saw his water dish moving across the yard. With my normal curiosity I went over and picked it up. You guessed it.
A hermit turtle. But this was Grand Island Nebraska so I am shocked to hear they rarely move outside the area described above.

[Nanohedron]

When I was a child, I found a small softshell turtle, in a creek, seemed to be perfectly healthy, but it had no shell on its underside, such that its body was completely exposed. Is this usual?

I have no idea.

I ate one in a soup in Japan. It was okay.

[Walden]

Anyway, some other kid give me a dollar for it.

[Bloomfield]

Anyway, some other kid give me a dollar for it.

quite a chunk of money, back in the Thirties.

[gonzo914]

Hermit turtles used to range as far north as Nebraska but haven't been seen there in years, probably having been hunted out in the area by gumbo-crazed Nebraskans. The hermit turtle's normal time shift defense apparently does not work there because of the extraordinarily long time that a Nebraskan will stare at a turtle before losing interest and shuffling away. Also, there is a strong possibility that time stands still in Nebraska.

[BrassBlower]

http://www.gnpress.net/books/chotas%20way.htm

The hermit turtle said, "He thinks that I am after the women, but I
couldn't care less. Let's move over here."

[BrassBlower]

The Hermit Turtle may have at one time been found in Antarctica. Their disappearance has often been blamed on....

The Hot-Headed Naked Ice Borer!

http://nac.tamu.edu/x075bb/discover/fool95.html

[frosty]

yea one time I saw a hermet turtle lift up and tote off with a 2 story house basement and all!

[Walden]

What you probably encountered was the rare hermit turtle, a reclusive species whose limited range includes only small parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. Also known as the Kan-ok-ar-mo turtle, this turtle, as the name implies, has no shell of its own, but rather appropriates suitable replacements, much like the better known and less edible hermit crab.

But it had the pucker tuby face of a softshell turtle.

Anyway, some other kid give me a dollar for it.

quite a chunk of money, back in the Thirties.

In the 1930's you might could've bought controlling interest in Pepsi Cola, for that. Today you could maybe buy a bottle of Pepsi Cola for that in a convenience store.

[Mack.Hoover]

This hermit turtle was trying to convince this armadillo to cross the highway, see...

[John S]

Hermit Turtles were common in the UK before the last Ice age, mostly using hollow logs into which that they skrapped limb-holes.
The UK species Emys sinechelysis closly related to the Europian Pond Tortoise Emys orbicularis.

John S