There are many different types of turtles but the two main categories are tortoises and sea turtles. Tortoises are terrestrial animals meaning they live on land while sea turtles spend most of their time in the ocean.
Tortoises have thick heavy shells that protect them from predators and the elements. Their legs are short and stout designed for walking on land. Tortoises are herbivores and their diet consists mostly of plants.
Sea turtles also have protective shells but they are flatter than tortoise shells and more streamlined for swimming. Sea turtles have long flippers that help them move gracefully through the water. These turtles are carnivores and their diet consists mostly of fish squid and crustaceans.
There are several other differences between tortoises and turtles. Tortoises are generally larger than turtles and they can live to be over 100 years old. turtles typically live between 30 and 40 years.
Turtles are found all over the world while tortoises are only found in warm climates. Tortoises are also known to hibernate during the winter months.
So what is the difference between a tortoise and a turtle? Tortoises are terrestrial animals with heavy shells while turtles are aquatic animals with lighter shells. Tortoises are also larger and have shorter lifespans than turtles.
What is the difference between a tortoise and a turtle?
Tortoises and turtles are both reptiles of the order Testudines.
However tortoises are land-dwelling and turtles are water-dwelling.
How do tortoises and turtles differ in appearance?
Tortoises tend to have sturdier flatter shells than turtles.
Additionally turtles have webbed feet for swimming while tortoises have elephant-like feet for walking.
Where do tortoises and turtles live?
As mentioned before tortoises are land-dwelling and turtles are water-dwelling.
This means that tortoises live on land in deserts forests and grasslands.
Turtles on the other hand can be found in freshwater (lakes rivers ponds) or saltwater (the ocean).
How long do tortoises and turtles live?
Tortoises can live up to 150 years while turtles only live up to 70 years.
What do tortoises and turtles eat?
Both tortoises and turtles are omnivorous meaning they eat both plants and animals.
However their diets vary depending on the type of tortoise/turtle.
For example desert tortoises mainly eat plants while gopher tortoises eat mostly ants and termites.
As for turtles sea turtles eat jellyfish while box turtles eat snails worms and insects.
How do tortoises reproduce?
Tortoises reproduce through sexual intercourse.
The male will mount the female and insert his penis into her cloaca (opening at the base of the tail) and then release his sperm.
The female will then store the sperm in her oviducts until she is ready to lay her eggs.
How do turtles reproduce?
Similar to tortoises turtles reproduce through sexual intercourse.
The male will mount the female and insert his penis into her cloaca (opening at the base of the tail) and then release his sperm.
The female will then store the sperm in her oviducts until she is ready to lay her eggs.
How many eggs do tortoises and turtles lay?
Tortoises can lay anywhere from 1 to 40 eggs at a time while turtles usually lay 2 to 12 eggs.
How long does it take for tortoise and turtle eggs to hatch?
Tortoise eggs usually take 90 to 120 days to hatch while turtle eggs take 50 to 70 days to hatch.
What kind of environment do tortoise and turtle eggs need to hatch?
Tortoise eggs need a dry and warm environment in order to hatch while turtle eggs need a moist environment.
How do tortoises and turtles protect themselves?
Tortoises and turtles both have shells that they can retreat into when they feel threatened.
Additionally some turtles can produce a foul-smelling liquid from their backside to deter predators.
What types of predators do tortoises and turtles have?
Tortoises and turtles both have numerous predators depending on their location.
For example desert tortoises are preyed on by kit foxes bobcats and coyotes.
Meanwhile gopher tortoises are preyed on by opossums skunks and raccoons.
As for turtles common predators include Owls crows and raccoons.
What is the biggest difference between tortoises and turtles?
The biggest difference between tortoises and turtles is that tortoises are land-dwelling and turtles are water-dwelling.
What is the smallest difference between tortoises and turtles?
The smallest difference between tortoises and turtles is that tortoises have sturdier flatter shells than turtles.
What is the most interesting difference between tortoises and turtles?
The most interesting difference between tortoises and turtles is that some turtles can produce a foul-smelling liquid from their backside to deter predators.
