Turtles, tortoises and terrapins form a reptilian order “chelonians”, (from the Latin for “turtles”).
The words turtle, tortoise and terrapin are often used interchangeably but the general rule is to call them tortoises if land-based, turtles if river or sea-based, and terrapins if amphibian.
In Britain, 'turtle' is generally used for saltwater species, 'terrapin' for freshwater varieties. However in the USA the word ‘turtle' covers all types while Australians use ‘tortoise' for any of them.
One way to tell a turtle and a tortoise apart is by looking at their feet – water turtles usually have flippers or webbed feet and their shells are flatter while tortoises have stubby feet and domed shells.
Turtles don't have ears. They do have an eardrum-like structure which enable them to hear low-frequency noise.
A turtle shell is comprised of 60 connected bones, including the spine and ribcage.
Turtles have nerve endings in their shells. It can feel every scratch, pet and rub.
The upper part of a turtle's shell is called the 'carapace', the lower portion is the 'pastron'.
The average turtle swims at a pace of 10 to 12 mph and walks at 3 to 4 mph.
Experiments have shown that turtles show most interest in things colored red, orange or yellow.
Turtles don't have vocal cords, and as a result the noises they make tend to be more like clucks or even belches.
A turtle's diet varies greatly depending on the environment in which it lives. Adult turtles typically eat aquatic plants. Some small freshwater species are carnivorous. Sea turtles typically feed on jellyfish, sponges, and other soft-bodied organisms.
You can tell a turtle's gender by its sound. Males grunt, females hiss.
The temperature a turtle egg is kept at can actually determine the gender of the baby turtle inside. Eggs kept warmer tend to produce females, while eggs kept at a lower temperature will generally produce males.
No species of turtle nurtures their babies. Turtles mothers find a location on land to dig a nest and lay their eggs. After they lay their eggs, they walk away. It’s up to the little turtles to fend for themselves once they hatch.
There are 356 species of turtle. They live on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
The Alligator Snapping Turtle of North America has a tongue that bears resemblance to a worm. This enables it to lure fish into its mouth.
The Fitzroy River tortoise of Australia breathes through its rear end.
The African Helmeted Turtle has glands under each of its legs, which release a nasty-smelling liquid to repel predators.
Chinese softshell turtles urinate using their mouths.
A collective group of turtles as pets is called a herd but in the wild they are considered a "bale of turtles".
Japan makes train tracks safe for turtles by creating underground walkways for them. This stops them being killed or derailing a train.
It is illegal in the US to sell any turtle or tortoise less than four inches long.
The earliest use of the word ‘tinned’ to refer to food given by the Oxford English Dictionary is an 1861 reference in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management to "tinned turtle."
In the movies Rocky, (1976) and Rocky Balboa, (2006) Rocky's pet turtles were played by the same two turtles.
World Turtle Day is observed on May 23 each year. The purpose of this holiday is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.
Sources Daily Express. Midday
ETOMOLOGY
The words turtle, tortoise and terrapin are often used interchangeably but the general rule is to call them tortoises if land-based, turtles if river or sea-based, and terrapins if amphibian.
 |
| Pixabay |
In Britain, 'turtle' is generally used for saltwater species, 'terrapin' for freshwater varieties. However in the USA the word ‘turtle' covers all types while Australians use ‘tortoise' for any of them.
One way to tell a turtle and a tortoise apart is by looking at their feet – water turtles usually have flippers or webbed feet and their shells are flatter while tortoises have stubby feet and domed shells.
ANATOMY
Turtles don't have ears. They do have an eardrum-like structure which enable them to hear low-frequency noise.
A turtle shell is comprised of 60 connected bones, including the spine and ribcage.
Turtles have nerve endings in their shells. It can feel every scratch, pet and rub.
The upper part of a turtle's shell is called the 'carapace', the lower portion is the 'pastron'.
The average turtle swims at a pace of 10 to 12 mph and walks at 3 to 4 mph.
 |
| Pixabay |
BEHAVIOR
Experiments have shown that turtles show most interest in things colored red, orange or yellow.
Turtles don't have vocal cords, and as a result the noises they make tend to be more like clucks or even belches.
A turtle's diet varies greatly depending on the environment in which it lives. Adult turtles typically eat aquatic plants. Some small freshwater species are carnivorous. Sea turtles typically feed on jellyfish, sponges, and other soft-bodied organisms.
 |
| A green sea turtle grazing on seagrass By P.Lindgren |
You can tell a turtle's gender by its sound. Males grunt, females hiss.
The temperature a turtle egg is kept at can actually determine the gender of the baby turtle inside. Eggs kept warmer tend to produce females, while eggs kept at a lower temperature will generally produce males.
No species of turtle nurtures their babies. Turtles mothers find a location on land to dig a nest and lay their eggs. After they lay their eggs, they walk away. It’s up to the little turtles to fend for themselves once they hatch.
UNUSUAL TURTLES
There are 356 species of turtle. They live on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
The Alligator Snapping Turtle of North America has a tongue that bears resemblance to a worm. This enables it to lure fish into its mouth.
 |
| Alligator Snapping Turtle |
The Fitzroy River tortoise of Australia breathes through its rear end.
The African Helmeted Turtle has glands under each of its legs, which release a nasty-smelling liquid to repel predators.
Chinese softshell turtles urinate using their mouths.
FUN TURTLE FACTS
A collective group of turtles as pets is called a herd but in the wild they are considered a "bale of turtles".
Japan makes train tracks safe for turtles by creating underground walkways for them. This stops them being killed or derailing a train.
It is illegal in the US to sell any turtle or tortoise less than four inches long.
The earliest use of the word ‘tinned’ to refer to food given by the Oxford English Dictionary is an 1861 reference in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management to "tinned turtle."
In the movies Rocky, (1976) and Rocky Balboa, (2006) Rocky's pet turtles were played by the same two turtles.
World Turtle Day is observed on May 23 each year. The purpose of this holiday is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.
Sources Daily Express. Midday
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