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Tortoises are the longest-living land animals in the world, although the longest-living species of tortoise is a matter of debate. Galápagos tortoises are noted to live over 150 years, but an Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita may have lived an estimated 255 years. In general, most tortoise species can live 80–150 years.
Box turtles can be injured by dogs and cats, so special care must be taken to protect them from household pets. Box turtles require an outdoor enclosure (although they can have indoor enclosures when necessary), consistent exposure to light and a varied diet. Without these, a turtle's growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened.
The necks of turtles are highly flexible, possibly to compensate for their rigid shells. Some species, like sea turtles, have short necks while others, such as snake-necked turtles, have long ones. Despite this, all turtle species have eight neck vertebrae, a consistency not found in other reptiles but similar to mammals. [31]
Example species Example image Carettochelyidae Boulenger, 1887: 1: Pig-nosed turtle: Pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) Cheloniidae Oppel, 1811: 6: Sea turtles: Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) Chelydridae Gray, 1831: 2: Snapping turtles: Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Dermatemydidae Gray, 1870 : 1: Central American ...
Other sea turtle species are smaller, ranging from as little as 60 cm (2 ft) long in the case of the Kemp's ridley, which is the smallest sea turtle species, to 120 cm (3.9 ft) long in the case of the green turtle, the second largest. [5] [12] The skulls of sea turtles have cheek regions that are enclosed in bone.
The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger) is a very large species of tortoise in the genus Chelonoidis (which also contains three smaller species from mainland South America). The species comprises 15 subspecies (13 extant and 2 extinct). It is the largest living species of tortoise, and can weigh up to 417 kg ...
A tortoise at the back door of a house or in the backyard by a pond is said to attract good fortune and many blessings. Three tortoises stacked on top of each other represent a mother and her babies. [37] In Daoist art, the tortoise is an emblem of the triad of earth-humankind-heaven. [38] The tortoise is a symbol of longevity. [2]
The three-toed box turtle (Terrapene triunguis) is a species within the genus of hinge-shelled turtles commonly referred to as box turtles. This species is native to the south-central part of the United States and is the official reptile of the state of Missouri. [4] It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of the eastern box turtle as T ...