Difference Between Turtles And Tortoises

Turtles and Tortoises both belong to the family of Testudinidae and Animalia kingdom. The major difference between tortoise and turtle is that tortoise lives on land whereas turtles live in water. Tortoise has a thicker and more robust shell and the shell of the turtle is flat and streamlined. The below article covers the difference between tortoises and turtles.

Difference between Turtles and Tortoises

The differences between Turtles and Tortoises are given below:

Parameter	Turtles	Tortoises
Definition	A turtle is defined as a reptile that belongs to the Chelonian family and lives in water.	A tortoise is defined as a reptile that belongs to the Chelonian family and lives on land.
Structure of shell	Turtles have mostly flat and streamlined shells.	Tortoises have large shaped shells and even some species have bumps on the top.
Weight of shell	The shells of turtles are light in weight as compared to tortoises.	The shells of tortoises are mostly heavier in weight.
Birth	The hatchlings of turtle remain in their nest for 90-120 days on their own.	The hatchlings of tortoise move towards the mothers burrow from their nest immediately after their birth.
Diet	Turtles are omnivores as they eat vegetation as well as meat(sea animals).	Tortoises are mostly herbivores in nature but few species eats smaller living beings too.
Limbs	The feet of turtles are majorly webbed and have long claws.	The feet of tortoises are short and have bent legs.
Lifespan	Turtles live for 20 to 40 years of age. The longest living turtle lived for 86 years.	Tortoise lives for 80 to 150 years of age. The longest living tortoise is 326 years.
Places where they are mostly found	Turtles are mostly found in Africa and America.	Tortoises are mostly found in Africa, Asia and America.

Turtle

Turtles belongs to the family of Testudinidae but lives in water. As compared to the shell of tortoise, turtle has more streamlined and lighter shell. As turtles live in water and needs to swim in water, they have long webbed feet and long claws. Turtles eats both meat that is water animals as well as vegetation therefore they are known as omnivorous. The turtle can live a average life of 20 to 40 years. The shell of turtles is made up of cartilage and bones. Turtles are known as cold-blooded animals which means that they can change their temperature according to the surrounding environment.

Tortoise

Tortoises belong to the family of Testudinidae and lives on land. Tortoise have a protective shell over them that helps to protect them from different threats. The tortoise are diurnal animals and can change the temperature according to the ambiance. Most of the species in tortoise lay eggs that are small in size and up to 20 in number. Tortoise can live in different type of habitats such as deserts, wet evergreen forest and grasslands. The tail of female tortoise is small and dropped down whereas the tail of male tortoise is long and pulled up.

Turtle Shell vs Tortoise Shell

The differences between the shell of Turtles and Tortoises are given below:

• Turtle have mostly flat and streamlined shells whereas Tortoise have large shaped shells and even some species have bumps on the top.
• The shells of turtles are light in weight whereas the shells of tortoise are mostly heavier in weight. Therefore turtles can even easily swim in the water due to their light weight shells.
• The shell of turtles is smooth in nature whereas the shell of tortoise is rough in nature.

FAQs on Turtles and Tortoises

1. Is it True that All Tortoises are Turtles?

Yes, it is true that all tortoises are considered as turtles whereas all the turtles are not considered as tortoises. Tortoises posses some properties similar to turtles therefore they are considered as turtles.

2. Which is Bigger Tortoise or Turtle?

Between tortoise and turtle, some species of turtles are bigger in size than tortoise. The turtle known as Leatherbacks are the largest turtle on the earth and is of more than 2,000 pounds.

3. What makes a Turtle, not a Tortoise?

There are some differences between tortoise and turtles that makes a turtle not a tortoise such as turtles live in water whereas tortoise lives on land, turtles have a lighter shell in weight whereas tortoise have a heavy and hard shell. Turtles are omnivores whereas tortoise are mostly herbivorous.

4. Do all Turtles have 3 Hearts?

Sea turtles do have 3 hearts ie. they have three-chambered hearts which consists of two atria and one ventricle. This three chambered heart is used by them for absorbing the oxygen through their skin.

5. Can Tortoises Live in Water?

No, tortoises cannot live in water because the species of tortoise cannot hold their breath for more time. Tortoise will drown if they are left in the deep water for a very longer period of time.