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Chelonian mental glands.
Robert M Winokur1, John M Legler1
1Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112.
Journal of Morphology
|October 11, 2018
Summary
A survey of turtle genera found that 21 possess unique mental glands. These integumentary glands, classified into two types, suggest primitive origins and a trend toward simplification in some turtle families.
Area of Science:
- Herpetology
- Comparative Anatomy
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Turtles (chelonians) exhibit diverse integumentary structures.
- The presence and function of specific skin glands in turtles are not fully understood.
- Previous research has not comprehensively surveyed mental glands across chelonian families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey and classify mental glands in extant chelonian genera.
- To investigate the taxonomic distribution of mental glands.
- To infer the evolutionary significance of mental glands in turtles.
Main Methods:
- A morphological survey of integumentary glands in 69 of 74 recognized chelonian genera.
- Classification of observed glands into two distinct morphological classes (Class I and Class II).
- Analysis of gland occurrence across different chelonian families and subfamilies.
Main Results:
- Twenty-one genera across three families (Emydidae, Platysternidae, Testudinidae) possess mental glands.
- Class I mental glands (Gopherus genus) are complex with specialized ducts.
- Class II mental glands vary from simple invaginations to keratinized structures, found in Platysternidae and Emydidae.
Conclusions:
- Mental glands are likely primitive structures in turtles.
- The presence of mental glands in Batagurinae but rarity in Emydinae suggests a trend toward integumentary simplification in Emydinae.
- The findings provide insights into chelonian evolution and gland morphology.
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