Structure of the skeleton
Cervical vertebrae:
These are
the vertebrae that make up the neck of the turtle. There are 8 bony
parts to the cervical or neck region, which is short when compared to
many other reptiles. The neck is said to be retractile although sea
turtles cannot pull their heads fully back into their shells.The shortening
of the neck in sea turtles is an adaptation to marine life.
