Turtles sitting on tree roots along a lake warming themselves in the sun

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Turtles are the only vertebrates with a complete shell. It is formed mainly of bone; the upper part is the domed carapace, while the underside is the flatter plastron or belly-plate. Its outer surface is covered in scales made of keratin, the material of hair and fingernails. The carapace bones develop from ribs which grow sideways and develop into broad flat plates that join up to cover the body.

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Size: 6048px × 4024px
Location: Yungaburra, Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia
Photo credit: © Photography By Marco / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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