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Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapin |
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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 species.
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