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Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapin |
WORK IN PROGRESS
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A275 Turtles, Tortoises, &
Terrapin
These are the reptiles of the order Chelonii. All have a bony or
cartilaginous shell, and many species withdraw into it for
protection. Fossils have been dated to 220 million years
ago, making turtles older than lizards, snakes, and
crocodiles. Like other amniotes (reptiles, dinosaurs, birds,
and mammals), they breathe air and do not lay eggs
underwater, although many species live in or around water.
The largest turtles are aquatic.
Technically, all animals in this order are turtles, and the term
can refer to the entire order or to any individual species.
In common usage, the term tortoise refers to those that live
only on land and a terrapin, is a turtle that lives in fresh
or brackish water. These are common usage terms, not
biological ones. There is only one terrapin.
STATUS: Complete. Scheduled for 2015 release. |
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