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How do turtles hear sounds?

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Illustrations of ten representative chelonians, including spiny softshell turtle, Galapagos giant tortoise, green turtle, alligator snapping turtle, Blanding's turtle, common map turtle, eastern box turtle, eastern painted turtle, spotted turtle, and eastern mud turtle, each labeled with its common and scientific name. A scale bar at the bottom shows size comparison. — turtle Turtles (order Testudines).

Contrary to the common misconception that turtles have degenerate ears or are unresponsive to sound, they possess specialized auditory structures that are highly effective at detecting low-frequency airborne waves.1

Turtles hear using a unique mechanical arrangement. A plate of cartilage on each side of the head functions as a tympanic membrane, which vibrates in response to sound. These vibrations are transmitted via a two-element ossicular chain—consisting of an extracolumella and a columella—to the otic capsule. Inside, the movement of the stapes displaces fluid, creating a pressure change that stimulates the auditory nerve.1

While some sources suggest reptiles like turtles primarily detect earth-borne vibrations, research indicates that turtles are specifically sensitive to aerial sounds, with many species showing peak sensitivity between 200 and 640 hertz. Experiments have demonstrated that their response to airborne sound is significantly stronger than their response to vibrations applied to the shell, and severing the columella impairs their ability to hear aerial sounds.21