Turtles and tortoises

tinkerbell1189

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Is it just me... Or does anyone else get really peed off when people refer to tortoises as turtles?? And trying to explain that they are different species...
It really annoys me for some reason. I think because people can be ignorant.
Or do I just need anger management!?!?
 

KevinGG

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Yup sapphire is correct. It's more annoying to see a turtle or terrapin called a tortoise
 

StarSapphire22

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Tortoises and Turtles are part of the Chelonii or Testudinaes order, which essentially means turtle. They are then split up into different suborders, families, and then genus, and species. So all turtles and tortoises are scientifically classified as turtles, but then are broken down and separated so that tortoises and turtles have their own families and genuses and so on. Because tortoises are considered Chelonians (the term for all our little shelled friends) they are a turtle. But you will find no turtles classified under the tortoise family, and so turtles are not a tortoise.

Here's a link that shows this. The genus and species are only broken down for sea turtles, but hopefully you get the idea. http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/martinel_meli/images/phylogenetic tree.JPG
 

dmmj

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It doesn't bother me, I guess I figure there are bigger things to worry about.
 

Saleama

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Commonly, a turtle means some sort of aquatic or semi-aquatic species like box turtles or red ear sliders. Tortoise is a land dwellar like a sulcata or red foot. Also, a group of turtles is a bale while a group of tortoises is a creep. Just thought I would throw that in there, lol. ;)
 

Abdulla6169

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I'd rather use "herds" for a group of tortoises... What if I'm going to say something like: "he gave me the creeps since last year..." That's going to be awkward :)
 

StarSapphire22

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I'd rather use "herds" for a group of tortoises... What if I'm going to say something like: "he gave me the creeps since last year..." That's going to be awkward :)

Well you can call a group of crows a flock, but that doesn't mean they aren't a murder. :p
 

Abdulla6169

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I'll just say a "group of tortoises"… it sound less creepy :)
 

Saleama

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I'll just say a "group of tortoises"… it sound less creepy :)
LOL, yeah. I'm not sure why they are called a creep but I actually think its pretty cool. Refering to box turtles as a bale is even more strange in my opinion.
 

Yvonne G

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Greg's picture reminds me of "Kilroy was here". That was a drawing that was popular during the second world war.

http://icrashcars.deviantart.com/art/kilroy-was-here-124312427

747117wei24kafiu.gif
 
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