Tortoise VS Turtle

[reptylefreek]

Dont know if this should go into OT but I have people ask me all the time since they know I have torts "whats the difference?" I know the basics like turtles are usually omniverous and usually live or swim in water but there has to be more to this. I've looked it up but found minimal answers and always trust Tortoise people more anyway.

 

[dmmj]

the basic rule that I know of is tortoises are usually land and turtles are usually water or both land and water.

 

[Flametorch]

I have seen redfoots swimming though; yet their not necessarily turtles, right? They're even ominivorus

 

[Yvonne G]

Also, its a matter of what country you live in. For instance, in Australia, where they have no native land turtles, their water turtles are called tortoises.

Here in the states, a chelonian with webbed feet is called a turtle and a chelonian with little elephant feet is called a tortoise. The exception to this rule is the box turtle.

Yvonne

 

[stells]

You ready for this....

Just pretend its the back feet....

Tortoise...

Turtle... (including Box Turtles)

Sea Turtle...

Excuse my hands.... they aren't the best part of me lol

 

[egyptiandan]

Just like we learned and you have very nice hands

Danny

 

[Nay]

I LOVE visuals!!! Thank you.
Na

 

[allegraf]

That was a great visual display of the differences! Thanks, Kelly, it made me giggle!

Allegra

 

[Madkins007]

Scientifically speaking, a true tortoise is a member of the Family Testudinidae- a branch of the Order Testudines, or turtles, so all tortoises are indeed turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. To avoid the confusion of 'turtle', we often use 'chelonian' to refer to all shelled reptiles

The true tortoises are primarily identified by elephantine legs- no exposed toes or flippers on any limb (like the very nice visuals presented earlier). Other physical characteristics include the thick, domed carapace (except the Pancake Tortoise), and a whole slew of things in the skeleton and skull.

Behaviorally, tortoises do not hide, hunt, eat, or mate in the water although some species can swim nicely. Of course, there are land-loving turtles that that fit some or all of the behavioral issues.

What makes things confusing is the common usage of the term changes based on where you are.

USA- uses it pretty much for true tortoises
Europe- uses it for many land-dwelling chelonians, including Box Turtles
Australia- uses it for land chelonians as well as for some native fresh-water turtles

It gets really interesting when you add the term 'terrapin' to the mix, especially since terrapin is not technically a scientific term.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Brilliant as usual Madkins... I usually tell people that torts are turts, but not all turts are torts... but that just seems to confuse them until I explain further

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Excuse my hands.... they aren't the best part of me lol
[/quote]


Hah, I just think Kelly is showing off with her camera...sort of a "nanner nanner" at those of us less skilled in the use of technology.

 

[dmmj]

I have never seen pics of that type of tortoise/turtle before.

 

[stells]

Its Testudo handii