черепахи

The paper presents both new and updated data on the structure of the previously described skull of the fossil turtle Kirgizemys dmitrievi (Macrobaenoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous of Buryatia (Russia), based on the study of its segmented 3D model. Some features of the craniology of this species have not been previously noted for Macrobaenoidea or have been incorrectly interpreted. Additionally, the state of individual features of the skull structure of Kirgizemys hoburensis from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia is clarified.

The article briefly examines the main historical stages of the formation of the turtle system from the first classifications (the 18^th century) to the present day: the pre-evolutionary (? – 1766 – 1870) and evolutionary (1871 – present) ones, and, as part of the latter one, the traditional (1871 – 1975) and phylogenetic (1975 – present) ones.

The data on the thermal biology and daily activity of the Central Asian tortoise Agrionemys horsfiedii have been generalized on the basis of our own research and literature information. A description of the daily activity cycles with the body and environmental temperatures characterized is proposed. There are 8 periods of the daily activity and thermoregulatory behavior.

In order to check the health of individuals of the Mediterranean tortoise Nikolskii Testudo graeca nikolskii Ckhikvadze et Tuniyev, 1986 (22 individuals: 6 males and 16 females) collected in the vicinity of Anapa (Krasnodar region of Russia), a haematological approach was used to assess adaptive blood reactions. Intraerythrocytic parasites Haemogregarina spp. (Adeleorina, Coccidia) were detected in blood smears of 54.5% of turtles.