aestivate – to become dormant or limit activity during a certain
season, such as the dry season bask – to warm the body by
exposing it to the sun; behavior of ectothermic animals that
serves to regulate body temperature carapace – the top, rounded
part of a shelled animal carnivorous – feeding on animal matter
carrion – carcass of a dead animal Chelydridae – snapping turtle
family; includes the snapping turtle and the alligator snapping
turtle, which are large-bodied, aquatic turtles native to North
and South America Chihuahuan Desertscrub – a desert community
found in southeastern Arizona characterized by more shrubs and
grasses than cacti, with warm summers and fairly cold winters.
See photo here. ciénegas – a wet, marshy area in desert
ecosystems that is fed by a spring diurnal – active during the
day disjunct – when two or more populations of a species are
geographically separated ectothermic – having a body temperature
that is not internally regulated, but that is similar to that of
the surrounding envir