Difference Between Turtles And Tortoises

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The topic distinction between turtles and tortoises will be discussed in this article. The primary feature that distinguishes turtles and tortoises is where they live. Compared to tortoises, turtles live shorter lives. Both reptiles have a shell that serves as protection for their bodies. Since tortoises live on land and are exposed to harsher environments, their shells are harder. The majority of turtles and tortoises fall under the same scientific classification.

Introduction

Turtles and tortoises are both members of the Testudines or Chelonian family. The primary distinction between the two reptiles is their environment. While turtles live in the sea, tortoises dwell on land. The fundamental difference between the two is the protective shell that is present as a protection mechanism for them. The head and limbs are sticking out of the shell.

Turtles

Turtles are a type of reptile that are found in North America and Africa. A turtle’s shell is more streamlined and lighter than a tortoise. Turtles have lengthy claws and webbed feet to aid in swimming. Turtles are considered omnivorous creatures, meaning they consume meat and plants. While tortoises can live up to 86 years, the average lifespan of a turtle is 20 to 40 years.

• Turtles have distinctive shells comprised of bones and cartilage. The turtle’s shell serves as a form of defence or shield.
• They are members of the Testudines order. Extinct and current species can be found among the Testudines.
• One of the earliest known members of the order Testudines is the Middle Jurassic. This indicates that turtles are among reptiles older than crocodiles or snakes.
• Ectotherms, or cold-blooded creatures, include turtles. The definition of a cold-blooded animal is one in which its internal temperature varies depending on its environment.
• The high metabolic rates of sea turtles cause their body temperatures to be higher than the surrounding water. Amniotes include other reptiles, mammals, and birds, including turtles.
• Like other amniotes, turtles breathe air and don’t lay their eggs in water. The temperature depends on whether the egg develops into a female or male.
• The taxonomical and biological characteristics of the species are not specifically stated by the term turtle. 
• The leatherback sea turtle, which can grow to a length of 200 cm and weigh up to 900 kg, is the largest chelonian species currently living. Freshwater turtles are typically smaller, but a few Asian softshell turtles can grow 200 cm long.
• Based on how their bodily parts retract into their shells, turtles can be divided into two groups. In the Pleurodira suborder, the lateral retracts to the side and in front of the shoulder girdles. Cryptodira retracts straight back, in between the shoulder girdles.
• The neck may move freely since there is no vertebral fusion, and the vertebrae are spherical. The neck was primarily created for food and eating, not protection.
• Carapace refers to a turtle’s tough outside shell. The plastron is the interior of the shell that covers the belly. The bony structures that connect the carapace and plastron are called bridges. The shell has scutes, which are pointed scales. The scutes on turtles and the scales on other reptiles are made of a protein called keratin.
• A turtle’s shell is often brown, olive, or black. Some turtles’ shells are commonly green in colour. The surface of the shell commonly has blotches, spots, or irregularities.

Scientific Classification of Turtles

• Any animal can generally be defined by its kingdom, phylum, class, clade, and order.
• The kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Clade Testudinata, and Order Testudines include turtles.
• Cryptodira and Pleurodira are the subgroups. There are currently 14 families and about 356 species.

Tortoises

Tortoises are members of the order Testudines and the family Testudinidae. The habitat on land is the primary difference between tortoises and turtles. Like turtles, tortoises have a shell that shelters them from dangers and predators.

• A tortoise is the only vertebrate with pelvic and pectoral girdles inside the rib cage.
• Tortoises are typically nocturnal creatures that adjust their body temperature in response to their environment.
• Galapagos tortoises have a lifespan of up to 150 years, but the oldest one is still alive and is estimated to be close to 255 years old. Her name is Adwaita.
• Tortoises can be found in various settings, including grasslands, deserts, wet evergreen woods, and mountainous regions.Turtles often live in southern North America, the Mediterranean, sub-Saharan Africa, and a few islands.
• The majority of tortoise species typically lay 20 or fewer tiny eggs. The carapace and plastron are the tortoise’s shell covers, just like in turtles.
• Rings on a tortoise’s shell can occasionally help estimate the animal’s age, similar to how concentric rings on a cross-section of a tree might provide insight into the tree’s age. Among all creatures, tortoises have the longest lifespans.
• Analyzing a tortoise’s tail is a common method of determining its sex. It is a female tortoise if its tail is short and droops; a male tortoise has a longer tail that is drawn up.
• The size of the female tortoise is typically greater than the size of the male in several species. Male tortoises have a bent plastron to aid in reproduction.
• The incubation period is frequently very long in many species. Usually, it lasts between 100 and 160 days. Tortoises often lay their eggs at night.

Scientific Classification of Tortoises

• Tortoises are classified as members of the kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Testudines, Suborder Cryptodira, Superfamily Testudinoidea, and Family Testudinidae.
• Testudo graeca is a species of tortoise.

Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Do turtles require water to survive?

Ans: Turtles can often survive for eight hours without water. The environment of the land they are on will determine how this works, though. A turtle can stay out of the water for a few days if the surrounding region is chilly. However, if a turtle spends too much time out of the water, it will suffer major digestive problems.

Q2. Do turtles and tortoises belong to the same species?

Ans: Although theoretically speaking, all tortoises are turtles, not all are. Both species are timid, lonely, and not particularly territorial creatures. They typically bury their eggs in nests once they have laid them on land.

Q3. Which reptile is larger, a tortoise or a turtle?

Ans: Turtles are often larger and heavier than tortoises due to a strong shell. The average weight of a turtle is just 300 pounds, although that of a tortoise can reach 550 or 200 kg.

Q4. What distinguishes a turtle from a tortoise?

Ans: Turtles have thinner, more water-dynamic shells, but tortoises have more rounded and domed shells. Turtle shells are more streamlined to aid swimming. One significant distinction is that while turtles are designed for a life in the water, tortoises spend most of their lives on land.

Q5. Is keeping a tortoise at home a good idea?

Ans: In many cultures, keeping a tortoise or turtle indoors is considered lucky and is said to bring prosperity, longevity, and good fortune. Given their status as celestial creatures, turtles play a significant role in Chinese and Hindu mythology.