• Key Information

  • Turtles and Tortoises

  • Species (subgroups)
    Cryptodira and Pleurodira
  • Diet
    Carnivores, Omnivores and Herbivores
  • Length
    3.9 inches to 8 ft 10 inches
  • Weight
    6.1 oz to 1,100 lb
  • Lifespan
    Some species up to 150 years or more
  • Classification
    Reptilia > Pantestudines > Testudines
  • Conservation Status
    Varies
  • Habitat
    Most places in the sea and on land (except the polar regions)
  • Learning Point
  • The turtle, terrapin and tortoise are related animals, designed very similarly, but adapted to their life in the water or on land. In English we refer to them differently, but really they belong to the same group of animals. They are some of the longest living animals on the planet.
  • Project
  • Draw a turtle, terrapin or tortoise.
  • Location
  • Places
    Most non polar regions
  • Fun Facts
  • Turtles, Terrapins and Tortoises are so closely related, it is difficult to separate them into different families.
  • The oldest living turtle and land animal is said to be a Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan, who turned 187 in 2019.
  • Pleurodirans retract their neck to the side and in front of the shoulder girdles, whereas cryptodirans retract their neck backward into their shell.
  • The durophagous Mesoclemmys nasuta turtle has a bite force of 432 lbf (1,920 N).