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Description
A Fabulous Faction of Fearsome….Dragon Turtles.

Maybe the alliteration route didn’t hold up, but today we explore the wonderfully weird world of the Chelidrakonidae, the Dragonturtles. The Chelidrakonidae were the first of the Dracosauriformes to adapt to a fully aquatic lifestyle, with streamlined bodies and protective shells formed from ossified remnants of the wing-spur, Dragonturtles are incredibly successful group of reptiles and are among the most widespread of the Dracosauriformes.

Despite evolving massive, oceanic forms like the Common dragonturtle and Fire-bellied dragonturtle, many Chelidrakonids have evolved down varying evolutionary paths as they adapted to different aquatic environments and niches, today I will be discussing the oddballs among these incredible reptiles.

1. Harkachelys robustus, the Black-throated dragonturtle, is a medium sized near-shore predator. A member of the typical Dragonturtles, the Chelidrakoninae, or Dragon Whales, the Harka lives in temperate kelp forests and coral reefs. The Harka’s green colours toon and mottled black markings allow it to easily blend into its kelp forest home, but also aid in camouflaging among the coral. These 5 metre, 1.2 ton ambush predators feed on large fish and marine mammals. The larger frontal horn above the nostril is used by males in brief shoving matches between males during the breeding season. Female Harka give birth to one to three young that develop in eggs inside the mother to avoid returning to land, and will hatch from the eggs inside the mother when ready to hatch.
2. Bathychelys hamptoni, the Kinmerin is a large bathypelagic predator of large fish and squid. The Kinmerin is a roughly 7 metre, 1.5 ton apex predator of the ocean deep, diving 1,000 feet beneath the waves. Unlike many Dragonturtles, the Kinmerin move in an undulating motion, similar to crocodiles and the extinct mosasaurs, unlike the in between motion of both flipper and tail movement of most Dragonturtle species. The Kinmerin’s beak can easily shred a humans arm, but these skittish deep sea divers rarely approach boats, and more often, their corpse are found on beaches in the Southern Hemisphere.
3.Bikella aureus, the Hün or Golden dragonturtle is the smallest of the Dragonturtles. The Hün is a freshwater durophage that lives in the World Scar of Dwarkein, the largest lake on Vayrinn. These beautifully coloured, 2 metre little predators feed on freshwater crabs and crayfish. While being the smallest of the Dragonturtles, the Hün is the most social of the Chelidrakonids, moving in very large pods of 30 or more. The sounds these Dragonturtles are said to be in between a squeak and a hiss, and are considered very cute by the dwarves of the region.
4. Orectolobidrakon cryptonyx, the Marath or Wobbegong Dragon is a large, cryptic freshwater Dragonturtle, and a close relative of the Hün. Living in the tropical and subtropical lakes of the southern continent of Rykmont, the Marath is large for a freshwater predator at around 4.8 metres long and 800 kilograms, with females being larger than males. The Marath is excellently camouflaged, with long growths on its neck, flippers and tail to disguise themselves at water foliage. These growths are derived feathers, and the Marath are the only Chelidrakonids to still posses these structures. Marath can stay underwater for around an hour, waiting for small fish and amphibians.
5. Aecosuchus longirostrus, the Kenam Dragonturtle, or simply Kenam is a medium sized, oceanic piscivore. These slim, 4 metre predators are masters of the open ocean, living their entire lives without setting flippers on land or near and prominent structure. With the longest beak among Dragonturtles, Kenam are swift swimmers that dive through bait balls to catch many small fish. Their segmented shell allows them to flex their body to become more agile when chasing their prey. Kenam both compete and cooperate with dolphins to coral small fish and are considered very intelligent among reptiles.
6. Macrobikella meridonalis, the Goshün is a large resident of coral reefs. These striking red and orange Dragonturtles are also called Sea Ladybugs due to their spotted shells. Flattened and streamlined, Goshün are adapted to move through cracks and holes in coral reefs after fish and cephalopods. Goshün have a large spur developed from the first claw on their foreflippers to aid in moving through the cracks and crags in the reefs. Goshün are sadly hunted for their tail meat which is in incredibly tender and flavourful.
7. Infernichelys cancrivorous, the Ackerr Dragonturtle, named for its seemingly hellish appearance, is a large cancrivorous Dragonturtle. Of its genus, the Ackerr Dragonturtle is the largest at 5 metres, 2 tons. These large predators live near the sea floor and feed on crabs and other crustaceans, cracking their shells with its developed beak and powerful bite, strong enough to crack a seals vertebrae. Ackerr Dragonturtles use their colourful throat sacks in a rather odd display during the mating season, in which males will invert themselves vertically in the water, with their heads raised. The males will then bellow and inflate their gular sacs, and the male who can sustain this for the longest will mate with the most females.

Description
A Fabulous Faction of Fearsome….Dragon Turtles.

Maybe the alliteration route didn’t hold up, but today we explore the wonderfully weird world of the Chelidrakonidae, the Dragonturtles. The Chelidrakonidae were the first of the Dracosauriformes to adapt to a fully aquatic lifestyle, with streamlined bodies and protective shells formed from ossified remnants of the wing-spur, Dragonturtles are incredibly successful group of reptiles and are among the most widespread of the Dracosauriformes.

Despite evolving massive, oceanic forms like the Common dragonturtle and Fire-bellied dragonturtle, many Chelidrakonids have evolved down varying evolutionary paths as they adapted to different aquatic environments and niches, today I will be discussing the oddballs among these incredible reptiles.

1. Harkachelys robustus, the Black-throated dragonturtle, is a medium sized near-shore predator. A member of the typical Dragonturtles, the Chelidrakoninae, or Dragon Whales, the Harka lives in temperate kelp forests and coral reefs. The Harka’s green colours toon and mottled black markings allow it to easily blend into its kelp forest home, but also aid in camouflaging among the coral. These 5 metre, 1.2 ton ambush predators feed on large fish and marine mammals. The larger frontal horn above the nostril is used by males in brief shoving matches between males during the breeding season. Female Harka give birth to one to three young that develop in eggs inside the mother to avoid returning to land, and will hatch from the eggs inside the mother when ready to hatch.
2. Bathychelys hamptoni, the Kinmerin is a large bathypelagic predator of large fish and squid. The Kinmerin is a roughly 7 metre, 1.5 ton apex predator of the ocean deep, diving 1,000 feet beneath the waves. Unlike many Dragonturtles, the Kinmerin move in an undulating motion, similar to crocodiles and the extinct mosasaurs, unlike the in between motion of both flipper and tail movement of most Dragonturtle species. The Kinmerin’s beak can easily shred a humans arm, but these skittish deep sea divers rarely approach boats, and more often, their corpse are found on beaches in the Southern Hemisphere.
3.Bikella aureus, the Hün or Golden dragonturtle is the smallest of the Dragonturtles. The Hün is a freshwater durophage that lives in the World Scar of Dwarkein, the largest lake on Vayrinn. These beautifully coloured, 2 metre little predators feed on freshwater crabs and crayfish. While being the smallest of the Dragonturtles, the Hün is the most social of the Chelidrakonids, moving in very large pods of 30 or more. The sounds these Dragonturtles are said to be in between a squeak and a hiss, and are considered very cute by the dwarves of the region.
4. Orectolobidrakon cryptonyx, the Marath or Wobbegong Dragon is a large, cryptic freshwater Dragonturtle, and a close relative of the Hün. Living in the tropical and subtropical lakes of the southern continent of Rykmont, the Marath is large for a freshwater predator at around 4.8 metres long and 800 kilograms, with females being larger than males. The Marath is excellently camouflaged, with long growths on its neck, flippers and tail to disguise themselves at water foliage. These growths are derived feathers, and the Marath are the only Chelidrakonids to still posses these structures. Marath can stay underwater for around an hour, waiting for small fish and amphibians.
5. Aecosuchus longirostrus, the Kenam Dragonturtle, or simply Kenam is a medium sized, oceanic piscivore. These slim, 4 metre predators are masters of the open ocean, living their entire lives without setting flippers on land or near and prominent structure. With the longest beak among Dragonturtles, Kenam are swift swimmers that dive through bait balls to catch many small fish. Their segmented shell allows them to flex their body to become more agile when chasing their prey. Kenam both compete and cooperate with dolphins to coral small fish and are considered very intelligent among reptiles.
6. Macrobikella meridonalis, the Goshün is a large resident of coral reefs. These striking red and orange Dragonturtles are also called Sea Ladybugs due to their spotted shells. Flattened and streamlined, Goshün are adapted to move through cracks and holes in coral reefs after fish and cephalopods. Goshün have a large spur developed from the first claw on their foreflippers to aid in moving through the cracks and crags in the reefs. Goshün are sadly hunted for their tail meat which is in incredibly tender and flavourful.
7. Infernichelys cancrivorous, the Ackerr Dragonturtle, named for its seemingly hellish appearance, is a large cancrivorous Dragonturtle. Of its genus, the Ackerr Dragonturtle is the largest at 5 metres, 2 tons. These large predators live near the sea floor and feed on crabs and other crustaceans, cracking their shells with its developed beak and powerful bite, strong enough to crack a seals vertebrae. Ackerr Dragonturtles use their colourful throat sacks in a rather odd display during the mating season, in which males will invert themselves vertically in the water, with their heads raised. The males will then bellow and inflate their gular sacs, and the male who can sustain this for the longest will mate with the most females.