"Tortoises and turtles are often confused. However, the distinction isn’t as clear as you might think." ---Winnie Yuasa
Tortoises and turtles are often confused. However, the distinction isn’t as clear as you might think. Something you might not have known is that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. This is because turtles are simply reptiles with shells. There are still some differences between them.
Most people know that tortoises like the land better than the sea, while turtles are the opposite. From an article titled What's the Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises? by the Nashville Zoo, they talk about how tortoises spend a lot more of their time on land while turtles are more adapted to spend most of theirs in the water. They also say that tortoises are often heavier than turtles. Tortoises and turtles also have different shells–tortoises tend to have a more dome-like shape, and they tend to be rounder compared to turtles, who have thinner shells.
Turtles also have flippers, while tortoises have more club or elephant-like legs. In another article called 6 differences between turtles and tortoises by Sugar River Animal Hospital, they mention a few other differences between turtles and tortoises, namely that tortoises get layers on their shells while turtles shed their shells and get new ones. Another thing they point out is how tortoises are herbivores, meaning that they only eat plants, while turtles are omnivores, meaning that they eat plants and meat. Another difference is the life span that they both have. Tortoises can live up to 200 years, while turtles tend to only live for 5-50 years. Finally, tortoises live in warmer climates, while turtles can live almost anywhere. Turtles, on the other hand, like to live alone.
There are many different species of turtles, and some are endangered. The Loggerhead Turtle is one of them. In an article called Marine Life Encyclopedia: Loggerhead Turtle by Oceana, they mention the size, looks, where they live, more. The Loggerhead Turtle gets its name from having a big head. This turtle is about one meter measured from head to tail, and lives in tropical and temperate oceans. The turtle’s shell is a reddish brown color and its skin is a pale yellow. It is endangered because of fishing, net distribution, and pollution.
Most people know that tortoises like the land better than the sea, while turtles are the opposite. From an article titled What's the Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises? by the Nashville Zoo, they talk about how tortoises spend a lot more of their time on land while turtles are more adapted to spend most of theirs in the water. They also say that tortoises are often heavier than turtles. Tortoises and turtles also have different shells–tortoises tend to have a more dome-like shape, and they tend to be rounder compared to turtles, who have thinner shells.
Turtles also have flippers, while tortoises have more club or elephant-like legs. In another article called 6 differences between turtles and tortoises by Sugar River Animal Hospital, they mention a few other differences between turtles and tortoises, namely that tortoises get layers on their shells while turtles shed their shells and get new ones. Another thing they point out is how tortoises are herbivores, meaning that they only eat plants, while turtles are omnivores, meaning that they eat plants and meat. Another difference is the life span that they both have. Tortoises can live up to 200 years, while turtles tend to only live for 5-50 years. Finally, tortoises live in warmer climates, while turtles can live almost anywhere. Turtles, on the other hand, like to live alone.
There are many different species of turtles, and some are endangered. The Loggerhead Turtle is one of them. In an article called Marine Life Encyclopedia: Loggerhead Turtle by Oceana, they mention the size, looks, where they live, more. The Loggerhead Turtle gets its name from having a big head. This turtle is about one meter measured from head to tail, and lives in tropical and temperate oceans. The turtle’s shell is a reddish brown color and its skin is a pale yellow. It is endangered because of fishing, net distribution, and pollution.
Loggerhead Turtle
The Ploughshare Tortoise is mostly known for being the most endangered tortoise. In an article called Turtle of the Week: Ploughshare Tortoise by Turtle Survival Alliance, it mentions what’s hurting them and what their habitat is like. The Ploughshare Tortoise’s habitats are “dry deciduous forests.” These creatures originally came from Madagascar. Most of the ones that are left live in Baly Bay National Park in northwestern Madagascar, and in the wild there are a few others scattered around. Fires and illegal wildlife trade are what have endangered them.
Ploughshare Tortoise
Out of all the species of turtles, the smallest one is less than four inches. Males measure to below three inches and females measure to 3.7 inches or less. This turtle is the Vallarta Mud Turtle. The article “The Vallarta Mud Turtle”mentions information about the Vallarta Mud Turtle, like the size and look. One way to tell the difference between a male and female Vallarta Mud Turtle is they both have a yellow spot on their head, but on a male, it’s easier to see the yellow spot. They tend to live in slow moving streams, ponds, and swamps. In the dry season they tend to do something similar to hibernating called aestivation, in which they bury themselves in the soil and lay 1-5 eggs. They are also highly aquatic for most of the year.
Vallarta Mud Turtle
The biggest species of turtle is the Leatherback Turtle. In an article called “Leatherback Turtle” by NOAA Fisheries, they mention things about Leatherback Turtles, like their size. A Leatherback Turtle is 5-6 feet in length. They do a lot of migrating (they can travel 10,000 miles in one year), so they live in most of the oceans except for the Arctic and Antarctic. These creatures can also dive down to almost 4,000 feet which is more than what most creatures can dive to. Leatherbacks are the only sea turtles that don’t have a hard shell. They also get their name from their skin which is tough and rubbery.
Leatherback Turtle
These four are only a few of the 360 different living species. They all are different in their own way, whether it’s size, shape, or where they live. There are still more things to learn, so if you want to learn more about turtles and tortoises you can go to “Five fun turtle and tortoise facts from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo”.