Beno, a Graptemys pseudogeographica, Turns Over

Timea Szabo, a student of Dr. Gabor Domokos, lives with a famous Graptemys pseudogeographica named Beno.

Dr. Domokos figured out a shape called a Gomboc. It is like the shape of an Indian starred tortoise shell and some beetle shells. Animals with a shell like a Gomboc can get right side up easily if they have to.

Beno is not an Indian starred tortoise. His shell is not as high. It's harder for him to turn over.

Beno agreed to turn over while Timea took pictures so you could see how a turtle looks when it turns over. Here are the pictures. I'm very happy that I can use these pictures on my Web site because Beno is a very famous turtle. People wrote about him in Nature and Science magazines, Speigel, The New Scientist, and other places.

Here is how Beno turns over.



You can see how a Gomboc works if you go to the Gomboc Web site.

Keep it slow and steady.