Magma Turtle

Tortoisa vulkana

Magma Turtles are 10-12 meter long tortoises despite the name. The tortoise appears to be completely covered in rock, and this is the case. Magma Turtles earn their name by their habit of submerge their entire body in cooling magma, as the molten rock cools on their body forming their armour the tortoise moves around as much as it can to prevent rock from forming on places that would inhibit movement. Unlike other tortoise, Magma Turtles are incapable of retracting their limbs into their body, most likely because they no longer need to. Adult Magma Turtles do not fear predators, not only because of their stone armour but also because of their molten blood similar to the magma they regularly bathe in. This bio-volcanic nature evolved to allow the tortoise survive in the inhospitable volcanic environment they frequently visit, this internal heat resistance is so great that individuals have been observed drinking from the several boiling ponds that are found around the volcanic shelf. Found only on and around the North-Western peninsula of Skull Island where the stable but still active volcano stands, despite their near invulnerability their reliance on this one volcanic region keeps their numbers relatively small. As these animals graze on ferns and hardy grasses that grow on the rocky peninsula, their stone backs gradually collect dirt and occasionally palm saplings. Old Magma Turtles have been seen with more than 5 trees growing from their shells. Magma Turtle courtship is an amusing spectacle, males will pick a spot and begin to dance, wiggling their rear end side to side, once a female picks a mate she will join in this courtship dance. Females lay clutches of 5-12 eggs in volcanic soil and bury them, the heat of the soil keeps the eggs warm and the hostile environment keeps most predators away.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Tortoisa
Species: T. vulkana