# Check out the size of the head on this!



## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

These are a few photo's of a Krefft's turtle showing Macrocephaly which is basically extreme development of of the muscles, skull and jaws from eating hard things like Freshwater Mussells all it's life. 

Very similar to a body builder concentrating on certain muscles to increase their size. 

We put the turtle in a tub of water and later found at least 250grams of crushed mussel shell that she voided. 

This is the most extreme case of Macrocephaly that I have ever seen or noticed in books. 

Cheers, 

Craig


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## Tatelina (Oct 15, 2007)

Can it even retract it's head?


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 15, 2007)

G'day Craig,

If housed in captivity and fed a "soft" diet, would the macrocephaly reverse itself?


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## Lucas (Oct 15, 2007)

BLOODY HELL.

Its a pity you can't measure its bite strength. With muscle development like that I'm sure it'd be through the roof.

What do you think the chances of it developing stress fractures in its jaw, skull etc from the excess force are?


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Tatelina said:


> Can it even retract it's head?



Hi Tatelina,
No not a chance, making it pretty vulnerable


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Jonno from ERD said:


> G'day Craig,
> 
> If housed in captivity and fed a "soft" diet, would the macrocephaly reverse itself?



No, once it's skull, jaw and muscles develop to this size it cannot be reversed.


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Lucas said:


> BLOODY HELL.
> 
> Its a pity you can't measure its bite strength. With muscle development like that I'm sure it'd be through the roof.
> 
> What do you think the chances of it developing stress fractures in its jaw, skull etc from the excess force are?




Put it this way, I don't normall worry about a bite from an adult Krefft's while doing research, but there is no way in hell I was going to put my fingers anywhere near her mouth!

She wouldn't have a problem as the jawbone, skull width and length have all developed at the same rate with the muscle.


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## Tsubakai (Oct 15, 2007)

What happens to her now? Re-release after research?


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## pythoness (Oct 15, 2007)

she looks in wonderful nick, and obviously flourishing on her diet. could this be evolution in motion?


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## Kratos (Oct 15, 2007)

Thats 1 ugly looking turtle, is this very common?


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

pythoness said:


> she looks in wonderful nick, and obviously flourishing on her diet. could this be evolution in motion?



I don't think so. Just like a body builder developing certain muscles.


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Kratos said:


> Thats 1 ugly looking turtle, is this very common?



No, not really. It's actually pretty uncommon. She has chosen to feed exclusively on Mussels by choice whereas others eat vegetation, fish or carrion or a combination of the 3. An exclusive mussel eater will only develop the Macrocephaly to allow her to crush Mussel shells.


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## Tsidasa (Oct 15, 2007)

omg that's almost as ugly as jordan's watch 0_o


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## expansa1 (Oct 15, 2007)

Tsubakai said:


> What happens to her now? Re-release after research?



Already released.


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## Khagan (Oct 15, 2007)

expansa1 said:


> there is no way in hell I was going to put my fingers anywhere near her mouth!



Haha i dont blame you  turtle would have a tasty finger treat lol.


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## nuthn2do (Oct 15, 2007)

Did you call her Edna?


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## mattmc (Oct 15, 2007)

if you did put your finger in there, the next time you would have seen it would be in its POO. hahaha. that is the biggest case of macro....sumthinarather ive seen.


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## richardsc (Oct 15, 2007)

its got a boxy death adder looking noggin,lol,thanks for sharing


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## MoreliaMatt (Oct 15, 2007)

Tsidasa said:


> omg that's almost as ugly as jordan's watch 0_o



hahaha post of the day!!


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## mama croc (Oct 15, 2007)

what were her total measurements - weight, shell length etc? did you catch her for research specifically or did you just see her on a bush walk? So glad to hear she has been released again. Did you spot any others in the area?


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