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Adaptive Mechanisms For Aquatic Existence In Freshwater Turtles, Oscar Gloor

Honors Theses

Naturalists have often marveled at the ability of some air-breathing vertebrates to remain underwater for long periods of time (that is, "long" from man's reckoning). Seals, penguins, porpoises, and whales are all noted fro their ability to use oxygen stored in various ways to permit them to "stay under" for many minutes.

The return of vertebrates, which evolved on land, to an aquatic existence has been a much discussed subject from an evolutionary standpoint. That there are many advantages to life underwater is easily seen simply by the fact that, according to fossil records, terrestrial life arose from the sea. …