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REPTILIA 



restaurants. Overfishing has reduced the importance of the terrapin 

 fisheries over one half in 30 years. The wood terrapin is edible and 

 protected from extermination in New York State. The common 

 spotted turtle is said to be unable to eat when out of the water. 



Fig. 166. Skeleton of Cistudo {Emys europaea). V, vertebral (neural) plates; 

 C, costal plates; M, marginal plates; Nn, nuchal plate; Py, pygal plate; B, plastron 

 (ventral shield); CI, clavicle; Jcl, inter-clavicle; Sc, scapula; Co, coracoid; Pco, acromial 

 process (pro-coracoid); Pb, pubis; Js, ischium; Jl, ilium; H, humerus; R, radius; U, 

 ulna; Fe, femur; T, tibia; F, fibula. (After Claus-Sedgwick. Sonnenschein, London.) 



The musky map and speckled turtles are all important enemies of 

 insects. The common box turtle feeds on insects, but also consumes 

 some vegetable matter. It has a lobed plastron which it can close 

 tightly. (Figs. 163, 164, 165, 166.) 



