All turtles have a shell. Each shell has a top, called a CARAPACE, and a bottom, called a PLAS- TRON. The shell is made up of large, hard scales called SCUTES.

Which turtle does not have a hard shell?

Leatherback turtles are the only turtle species in the world that does not have a hard shell and scales.

Do turtles always have hard shells?

The evolutionary origin of a turtle's hard protective shell has long puzzled scientists. New fossil evidence published in the journal Current Biology on May 30, 2013 suggests that turtle shells may have started to evolve in reptiles 260 million years ago, which is 40 million years earlier than previously thought.