What is the difference between turtle and tortoise

The architecture of this shell that houses the skeleton is unique to turtles. Turtles cannot leave their shell or shed it for a new one. The word turtle dates back to around — Some of these types of turtles include sea turtle , box turtle , green turtle , and snapping turtle. However, an aquatic turtle can be distinguished from a terrestrial one, known as a tortoise.

Do you have animal instincts when it comes to spelling? Find out with this animal spelling quiz. A tortoise is a noun that refers to a terrestrial turtle or a slow-moving person. This type of turtle belongs to the family Testudinidae and typically spends its time on land. Tortoise was first r ecorded in English around — It originated as a variant of the earlier words tortuse , tortose , and tortuce.

Although tortoises are a type of turtle and belong to the order Testudines , they have distinct differences from aquatic turtles who spend their time in the water. Firstly, terrestrial turtles or tortoises are land-dwellers that eat vegetation and typically live in hot, dry areas. There are also physical differences, according to the San Diego Zoo , and these make it much easier to tell them apart.

In recent years, an Aldabran tortoise with barnacles on its shell washed up in east Africa. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Wild Animals. What's the Difference Between a Tortoise and a Turtle?

Now That's Interesting. Cite This! Try Our Sudoku Puzzles! Turtles can be aquatic, semi-aquatic, or mostly terrestrial. Tortoises are turtles that live on land and aren't equipped for water. Or even underneath it, since some tortoises are burrowers, like the gopher tortoises of the southeastern United States. Only sea turtles have true flippers. Most turtles have streamlined shells but there are some exceptions. Box turtles , for example, have a domed shell, as do Sonoran mud turtles and all tortoises.

All turtles also have a gular scute , an extension of the lower shell that sticks out under the chin. Gular scutes are more pronounced in males, who use them as weapons to flip an opponent over in a fight , Madrak says. For some extra complication, there are two suborders of turtle whose classifications are based entirely on how they move their necks. They turn their heads to the side and hide them under the rim of their shells for protection.

Sometimes misidentification could be fatal for the animal. In The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission had three instances of people who had mistakenly released tortoise hatchlings into the ocean —where the land-dwelling creatures would likely drown. If you find a turtle you think is in distress, call your state fish and wildlife commission or another professional who can identify the species and will know how to handle the circumstances.

These reptiles did okay for millions of years without people, Madrak points out. All rights reserved. People are prone to stereotyping, but we love it when someone flips the script. Turtle or tortoise? The end. Have a question about the weird and wild world?