Mystery of how the turtle's neck evolved may be solved by 150m-year-old fossil

Examination of a fossilised turtle suggests the way modern animals withdraw both head and neck into their shells might be linked to capturing prey

It sounds like a tale worthy of Kipling, but how the turtle got its neck is a mystery that might have been solved by science.

Researchers say fresh examination of a fossilised turtle, thought to have lived around 150 million years ago, suggests that ability of turtles to withdraw their neck and head into their shells might have evolved as it allowed them to rapidly shoot their head forward to snap up prey.