1. Is the fault in the components that perform any physical action?
Answer: No
2. Is the faulty component part of the mechanism’s body?
Answer: Yes
3. Is the faulty component in the structure of the mechanism?
Answer: No
4. Does the damaged component provide protection?
Answer: Yes
5. Is the component serve any other purpose than protection?
Answer: No
6. Can the adaptation occur at any time after failure?
Answer: No
45) HermannÕs tortoise, Testudo hermanni
HermannÕs tortoise can be found near the Italian Peninsula (van Dijk et al.). It lives in evergreen oak forests and is not aquatic. HermannÕs tortoise has the ability of regenerating its scutes on the shell to allow the tortoise to grow and to heal injured sections.
The tortoise is only able to regenerate the scutes during the spring season so if they get injured before that time period they must learn to survive with the injury. Although during the winter season alpha-keratin cells are produced in the soft epidermis (Alibardi). Once spring comes cell proliferation is activated around the hinge and tips of the marginal scutes to produce beta-keratin cells (Alibardi). The beta-keratin cells create a thick corneous growing ring layer and a homogenous layer along the scute surface (Alibardi). Once the layer is formed the old scute is able to slough off and reveal the newly formed scute.
van Dijk, P.P., Corti, C., Mellado, V.P. & Cheylan, M. 2004. Testudo hermanni. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/21648/0
Alibardi, L. “Proliferation in the Epidermis of Chelonians and Growth of the Horny Scutes.” Journal of Morphology265.1 (2005): 52-69. NCBI. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.
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