Tortoises
Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Geochelone gigantea) from Aldabra atoll in the Seychelles. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea) from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest Tortoises in Aldabra is a raised Coral Atoll in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. Seychelles (seɪˈʃɛl or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ in English and seʃɛl in French) officially the Republic of Seychelles (République des Seychelles Creole
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Testudinoidea Family: Testudinidae
Genera
Chersina Cylindraspis (extinct) Dipsochelys Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Stylemys (extinct) Testudo

Tortoises or land turtles are land-dwelling reptiles of the family of Testudinidae, order Testudines. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins are ectothermic Reptiles most of whose Body is shielded by a special Cryptodira is the taxonomic Suborder of Testudines that includes most living Tortoises and Turtles Cryptodira differ from Pleurodira Testudinoidea is a superfamily within the taxinomic suborder Cryptodira of Testudines. UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis is a genus of recently extinct giant Tortoises. Dipsochelys is a genus of giant Tortoise restricted to Madagascar (extinct and Seychelles islands, containing six species Geochelone is a Genus of Tortoises Geochelone Tortoises which are also known as geoclelone tortoises or typical tortoises, can Gopherus is a Genus of Tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. UserPolbot. --> Homopus is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family Indotestudo is a genus of Tortoises UserPolbot. --> Kinixys is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family UserPolbot. --> Manouria is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family Stylemys (meaning "pillar mouse" is the first Fossil genus of dry land Tortoise belonging to the order Chelonia discovered in Testudo is a Genus of Tortoises found in North Africa western Asia and Europe Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Tortoises or land Turtles are land-dwelling Reptiles of the family of Testudinidae', order Testudines. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. A carapace is a dorsal section of an Exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups The plastron is the nearly flat part of the shell structure of a Turtle or Tortoise, what one would call the belly similar in composition to the Carapace The tortoise has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton. An endoskeleton is an internal support structure of an Animal. An exoskeleton is an external Skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body in contrast to the internal Endoskeleton of for example a Human. Tortoises can vary in size from a few centimeters to two meters. Tortoises tend to be diurnal animals with tendencies to be crepuscular depending on the ambient temperatures. In Animal behavior, diurnality indicates an Animal that is active during the Daytime and rests during the Night. Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during Twilight, hence at Dawn and at Dusk. They are generally reclusive animals. The biggest operational difference between tortoises and turtles is that tortoises are unable to swim; indeed, they cannot float, whereas turtles can.

Etymology

Although the word "turtle" is widely used to describe all members of the order Testudines, it is also common to see certain members described as terrapins, tortoises or sea turtles as well. Precisely how these alternative names are used, if at all, depends on the type of English being used.

• British English normally describes these reptiles as turtles if they live in the sea; terrapins if they live in fresh or brackish water; or tortoises if they live on land. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the However, there are exceptions to this where American or Australian common names are in wide use, as with the Fly River turtle. The Pig-nosed Turtle ( Carettochelys insculpta) also known as the Australasian Pig-nose Turtle Pitted-shelled Turtle Plateless Turtle or Fly River Turtle is a Species
• American English tends to use the word turtle for all species regardless of habitat, although tortoise may be used as a more precise term for any land-dwelling species. Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology. Oceanic species may be more specifically referred to as sea turtles. The name "terrapin" is strictly reserved for the brackish water diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin; the word terrapin in this case being derived from the Algonquian word for this animal. The Diamondback terrapin ( Malaclemys terrapin) is a Species of Turtle native to the brackish coastal Swamps of the eastern and The Algonquian (also Algonkian, and pronounced both and) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic [2]
• Australian English uses turtle for both the marine and freshwater species but tortoise for the terrestrial species. Australian English ( AuE, AusE, en-AU) is the form of the English language used in Australia.

To avoid confusion, the word chelonian is popular among veterinarians, scientists, and conservationists working with these animals as a catch-all name for any member of the order Testudines. It is based on the Ancient Greek word χελώνη (chelone, modern Greek χελώνα), meaning tortoise. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c

Biology

Birth

Female tortoises dig nesting burrows in which they lay from one to thirty eggs. ^[1] Egg laying typically occurs at night, after which the mother tortoise covers her clutch with sand, soil, and organic material. The eggs are left unattended, and depending on the species, take from 60 to 120 days to incubate. ^[2] The size of the egg depends on the size of the mother and can be estimated by examining the width of the cloacal opening between the carapice and plastron. In zoological anatomy a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal and urinary tracts of certain animal species A carapace is a dorsal section of an Exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups The plastron is the nearly flat part of the shell structure of a Turtle or Tortoise, what one would call the belly similar in composition to the Carapace The plastron of a female tortoise often has a noticeable V-shaped notch below the tail to facilitate passing the eggs. Upon completion of the incubation period, a fully-formed hatchling uses an egg-tooth to break out of its shell. In oviparous biology a hatchling is the newborn of Animals that develop and emerge from within hard-shell eggs. In some egg -laying Animals the egg tooth is a small sharp cranial protuberance used by Offspring to break or tear through the egg's surface during It digs to the surface of the nest and begins a life of survival on its own. Hatchlings are born with an embryonic egg sac which serves as a source of nutrition for the first 3 to 7 days until they have the strength and mobility to find food. Juvenile tortoises often require a different balance of nutrients than adults, and therefore may eat foods which a more mature tortoise would not. For example, it is common that the young of a strictly herbivorous species will consume worms or insect larvae for additional protein. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell

Lifespan

There are many old wives tales about the age of turtles and tortoises, one of which being that the age of a tortoise can be deducted by counting the number of concentric rings on its carapace, much like the cross-section of a tree. An old wives' tale or old wives' saws is a type of Urban legend, similar to a proverb which is generally passed down by old wives to a younger generation A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or This is, of course, not true, since the growth of a tortoise depends highly on the access of food and water. A tortoise that has access to plenty of forage (or is regularly fed by its owner) will grow faster than a desert tortoise that goes days without eating.

Tortoises generally have lifespans comparable with those of human beings, and some individuals are known to have lived longer than 150 years. Because of this, they symbolize longevity in some cultures, such as China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The oldest tortoise ever recorded, almost the oldest individual animal ever recorded, was Tui Malila, who was presented to the Tongan royal family by the British explorer Captain Cook shortly after its birth in 1777. Tu'i Malila (c 1777 – May 19, 1965) was the name of a Tortoise given to the royal family of Tonga Tui Malila remained in the care of the Tongan royal family until its death by natural causes on May 19, 1965. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and This means that upon its death, Tui Malila was 188 years old. ^[3] The record for the longest-lived vertebrate is succeeded only by one other, a koi fish named Hanako whose death on July 17, 1977 ended a 226 year life span. (kɔɪ or more specifically (niɕikigoi literally " brocaded carp" are ornamental domesticated varieties of the Common carp Cyprinus carpio. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays ^[4]

The Alipore Zoo in India was the home to Adwaitya, which zoo officials claimed was the oldest living animal until its death on March 23, 2006. The Alipore Zoological Gardens (also informally called the Alipore Zoo Calcutta Zoo or Kolkata Zoo is India 's oldest formally stated Zoological park (as opposed India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Adwaita (meaning "one and only" in Sanskrit) (c 1750 – 23 March 2006) was the name of a male Aldabra Giant Tortoise in Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Adwaitya (sometimes spelled with two d's) was an Aldabra Giant Tortoise brought to India by Lord Wellesley who handed it over to the Alipur Zoological Gardens in 1875 when the zoo was set up. The Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea) from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest Tortoises in Zoo officials state they have documentation showing that Adwaitya was at least 130 years old, but claim that he was over 250 years old (although this has not been scientifically verified). Adwaitya was said to be the pet of Robert Clive. Adwaita (meaning "one and only" in Sanskrit) (c 1750 – 23 March 2006) was the name of a male Aldabra Giant Tortoise in Clive of India redirects here For the film see Clive of India (film. ^[5] Harriet, a resident at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, was apocryphally thought to have been brought to England by Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle. Harriet is a female Name. The name is an English version of the French Henriette, a female form of Henri. Australia Zoo is located in the Australian state of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast near Beerwah / Glass House Mountains. First Voyage On 27 September 1825 Beagle docked at Woolwich for repairs and fitted out for her new duties at a total cost of £5913 Harriet died on June 23, 2006, just shy of her 176th birthday. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Sexual dimorphism

Many, though not all, species of tortoises are sexually dimorphic, though the differences between males and females vary from species to species. Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different Sex in the same Species. In some species, males have a longer, more protruding neck plate than their female counterparts, while in others the claws are longer on the females. In most tortoise species the female tends to be larger than the male. (Some believe that males grow quicker, while the female grows slower but larger. ) The male also has a plastron that is curved inwards to aid reproduction. The plastron is the nearly flat part of the shell structure of a Turtle or Tortoise, what one would call the belly similar in composition to the Carapace The easiest way to determine the sex of a tortoise is to look at the tail. The females, as a general rule have a smaller tail which is dropped down whereas the males have a much longer tail which is usually pulled up and to the side of the rear shell.

Diet

A baby tortoise feeding on lettuce.

Most land based tortoises are herbivores, feeding on grazing grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and certain fruits. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell Their main diet consists of alfalfa, clover, dandelions, and leafy weeds, although they will also eat various insects. Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop Alsike redirects here Alsike Sweden is also a town in the Knivsta Municipality, Sweden. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described Feeding tortoises cat or dog food is a common mistake, as both cat and dog food contain too much protein and lack other important nutrients for tortoises. Tortoises are not carnivores, and should not be fed large amounts of protein, as it may cause shell deformation and other medical problems.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that all captive tortoises can be fed on the same diet. In reality, tortoise species vary greatly in their nutritional requirements. There is no "one fits all" diet. What works for one species won't always work for another. Commercial pellets are definitely to be avoided for all species, as they contain too much protein.

Taxonomy

The following species list largely follows Ernst & Barbour (1989), as indicated by The Reptile Database. However, the newly erected genera Astrochelys, Chelonoidis and Stigmochelys have been retained within Geochelone. Geochelone is a Genus of Tortoises Geochelone Tortoises which are also known as geoclelone tortoises or typical tortoises, can

Skeleton of a tortoise

• Chersina
  • Chersina angulata, Bowsprit Tortoise
• Cylindraspis (All species Extinct)
  • Cylindraspis indica, synonym Cylindraspis borbonica
  • Cylindraspis inepta
  • Cylindraspis peltastes
  • Cylindraspis triserrata
  • Cylindraspis vosmaeri
• Dipsochelys
  • Dipsochelys abrupta (Extinct)
  • Dipsochelys arnoldi, Arnold's Giant Tortoise,
  • Dipsochelys daudinii (Extinct)
  • Dipsochelys dussumieri, Aldabra Giant Tortoise, common synonyms Geochelone gigantea, Aldabrachelys gigantea
  • Dipsochelys grandidieri (Extinct)
  • Dipsochelys hololissa, Seychelles giant tortoise
• Geochelone
  • Geochelone carbonaria, Red-Footed Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Chelonoidis
  • Geochelone chilensis, Chaco or Chilean Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Chelonoidis
  • Geochelone denticulata, Yellow-Footed Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Chelonoidis
  • Geochelone elegans, Indian Star Tortoise
  • Geochelone nigra, Galápagos Giant Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Chelonoidis
  • Geochelone pardalis, Leopard Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Stigmochelys or in Psammobates
  • Geochelone platynota, Burmese Star Tortoise
  • Geochelone radiata, Radiated Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Astrochelys
  • Geochelone sulcata, African Spurred Tortoise (Sulcata Tortoise)
  • Geochelone yniphora, Angulated Tortoise, Madagascan (Plowshare) Tortoise; sometimes placed in distinct genus Astrochelys
• Gopherus
  • Gopherus agassizii, Desert Tortoise
  • Gopherus berlandieri, Texas Tortoise
  • Gopherus flavomarginatus, Bolson Tortoise
  • Gopherus polyphemus, Gopher Tortoise
• Homopus
  • Homopus aerolatus, Parrot-Beaked Cape Tortoise
  • Homopus boulengeri, Boulenger's Cape Tortoise
  • Homopus femoralis, Karroo Cape Tortoise
  • Homopus signatus, Speckled Cape Tortoise, Speckled Padloper
  • Homopus bergeri, Berger's Cape Tortoise, Nama padloper, synonym Homopus solus
• Indotestudo
  • Indotestudo elongata, Elongated Tortoise
  • Indotestudo forstenii, Travancore Tortoise, Forsten’s Tortoise
  • Indotestudo travancorica, Travancore Tortoise
• Kinixys
  • Kinixys belliana, Bell's Hinge-Backed Tortoise
  • Kinixys erosa, Serrated Hinge-Backed Tortoise
  • Kinixys homeana, Home's Hinge-Backed Tortoise
  • Kinixys lobatsiana, Lobatse Hingeback Tortoise
  • Kinixys natalensis, Natal Hinge-Backed Tortoise
  • Kinixys spekii, Speke's Hingeback Tortoise
• Malacochersus
  • Malacochersus tornieri, Pancake Tortoise
• Manouria
  • Manouria emys, Brown Tortoise (Mountain Tortoise)
  • Manouria impressa, Impressed Tortoise
• Psammobates
  • Psammobates geometricus, Geometric Tortoise
  • Psammobates oculifer, Serrated Star Tortoise
  • Psammobates tentorius, African Tent Tortoise
• Pyxis
  • Pyxis arachnoides, Madagascan Spider Tortoise
  • Pyxis planicauda, Madagascan Flat-Tailed Tortoise
• Stylemys (all species extinct)
  • Stylemys amphithorax
  • Stylemys capax
  • Stylemys conspecta
  • Stylemys nebrascensis
• Testudo
  • Testudo atlas, Atlas tortoise, Colossochelys (Extinct)
  • Testudo graeca, Greek Tortoise (Spur-Thighed Tortoise)
  • Testudo hermanni, Herman's Tortoise
  • Testudo horsfieldii, Russian Tortoise (Horsfield's Tortoise, or Central Asian Tortoise)
  • Testudo kleinmanni, Egyptian Tortoise, incl. UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis is a genus of recently extinct giant Tortoises. UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis indica was a species of Turtle in the Testudinidae family UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis indica was a species of Turtle in the Testudinidae family UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis inepta or Saddle-backed Mauritius Giant Tortoise was a species of Tortoise UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis peltastes or Domed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise was a species of Tortoise in UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis triserrata or Domed Mauritius Giant Tortoise was a species of Tortoise. UserPolbot. --> Cylindraspis vosmaeri or Saddle-backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise was a species of Turtle Dipsochelys is a genus of giant Tortoise restricted to Madagascar (extinct and Seychelles islands, containing six species Arnold's Giant Tortoise ( Dipsochelys arnoldi) also known as the Seychelles saddle-backed tortoise inhabited the granitic Seychelles islands until around The Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea) from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest Tortoises in The Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea) from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest Tortoises in The Aldabra Giant Tortoise ( Geochelone gigantea) from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest Tortoises in The Seychelles giant tortoise ( Dipsochelys hololissa) has been thought to be extinct since the mid-19th century due to over-exploitation on the granitic Seychelles Geochelone is a Genus of Tortoises Geochelone Tortoises which are also known as geoclelone tortoises or typical tortoises, can The Red-footed tortoise ( Geochelone carbonaria) (known in Brazil as Jabuti) is a tortoise native to South America and popular as a pet UserPolbot. -->The Argentine Tortoise, Chaco Tortoise, or Southern Wood Tortoise ( Geochelone chilensis The Indian Star Tortoise ( Geochelone elegans) is a Species of Tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in India and Sri Lanka The Galápagos tortoise (or Galápagos giant tortoise) is the largest living Tortoise, native to seven Islands of the Galápagos archipelago The Leopard tortoise ( Geochelone pardalis) is a large and attractively marked tortoise found throughout the Savannas of Africa, from Sudan to the southern The Burmese Star Tortoise ( Geochelone platynota) is becoming extinct in its native Myanmar (Burma The Radiated tortoise ( Astrochelys radiata) is a Species in the Genus of the Astrochelys tortoises The African Spurred Tortoise ( Geochelone sulcata) also called the African Spur Thigh Tortoise is a Species of Tortoise which inhabits the southern UserPolbot. -->The Angonoka, Madagascar Angulated Tortoise, or Madagascar Tortoise ( Geochelone yniphora Gopherus is a Genus of Tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. The desert tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii) is a Species of Tortoise native to the Mojave desert and Sonoran desert of the southwestern The Texas Tortoise ( Gopherus berlandieri) is one of four Species of Tortoise that are native to North America. The Bolson Tortoise ( Gopherus flavomarginatus) also called the Mexican Giant Tortoise or Yellow-margined Tortoise, is a species of Tortoise Gopherus is a Genus of Tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. UserPolbot. --> Homopus is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family The Speckled padloper tortoise ( Homopus signatus) is the world's smallest Tortoise. UserPolbot. -->The Berger's Cape Tortoise ( Homopus bergeri) is a species of Turtle in the Testudinidae UserPolbot. -->The Berger's Cape Tortoise ( Homopus bergeri) is a species of Turtle in the Testudinidae Indotestudo is a genus of Tortoises Elongated Tortoise ( Indotestudo elongata) is a species of Tortoise found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. Indotestudo forstenii called Forsten's Tortoise and Travancore Tortoise is a species of Tortoise found on the Indonesian isle of Sulawesi Indotestudo forstenii called Forsten's Tortoise and Travancore Tortoise is a species of Tortoise found on the Indonesian isle of Sulawesi UserPolbot. --> Kinixys is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family UserPolbot. -->The Common Tortoise, Forest Hinged Tortoise, Schweigger's Tortoise, Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise UserPolbot. -->The Home's Hinge-back Tortoise, Home's Hinged Tortoise, or Home's Hinged-backed Tortoise ( UserPolbot. -->The Natal Hinge-back Tortoise, Natal Hinge-backed Tortoise, or Natal Hinged Tortoise ( The Pancake Tortoise, or Malacochersus tornieri, is a flat-shelled Tortoise most commonly found in Tanzania and Kenya. UserPolbot. --> Manouria is a genus of Turtle in the Testudinidae family Asian Forest Tortoise ( Manouria emys) is a Species of Tortoise found in India ( Assam) Bangladesh, Burma Manouria impressa, the Impressed Tortoise, occurs in montane areas of forest in Southeast Asia in Burma southern China Thailand Laos Vietnam Cambodia and Malaysia The Geometric Tortoise is found in a small section in the South-Western Cape South Africa. Stylemys (meaning "pillar mouse" is the first Fossil genus of dry land Tortoise belonging to the order Chelonia discovered in Testudo is a Genus of Tortoises found in North Africa western Asia and Europe Testudo atlas (' Atlas turtle' also known as Colossochelys atlas, and originally described as Geochelone atlas (Falconer & Cautley 1844 The Spur-thighed Tortoise is one of four European members of the Testudinidae family of Tortoises The other members of the family are Hermann's Tortoise Hermann 's Tortoise ( Testudo hermanni) is one of five Tortoise species traditionally placed in the Genus Testudo The Russian Tortoise, Horsfield's Tortoise or Central Asian Tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii syn Kleinmann's Tortoise ( Testudo kleinmanni) often called Egyptian Tortoise and occasionally Leith's Tortoise includes the Negev Tortoise. Negev Tortoise
  • Testudo marginata, Marginated Tortoise
  • Testudo nabeulensis, Tunisian Spur-thigh Tortoise

Tortoises in religion

The bas-relief from Angkor Wat, Cambodia, shows Samudra manthan-Vishnu in the centre, his turtle avatar Kurma below, asuras and devas to left and right. The Marginated Tortoise ( Testudo marginata) is a species of Tortoise found in Greece Italy and the Balkans in southern Europe The Tunisian Spur-thighed Tortoise (see also below) belongs to the Spur-thighed tortoise group Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (អង្គរវត្ត is a Temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II Hinduism, Samudra manthan ( Devanagari: समुद्र मंथन or The churning of the ocean of milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation "Kurma" is also an alternative transliteration of Korma. In Hinduism In Hinduism, the Asura ( Sanskrit: असुर are a group of power-seeking deities sometimes referred to as Demons or sinful Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity "

In Hinduism, Kurma (Sanskrit: कुर्म) was the second avatar of Vishnu. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Like the Matsya Avatara also belongs to the Satya yuga. This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the " Vishnu took the form of a half-man half-tortoise, the lower half being a tortoise. He is normally shown as having four arms. He sat on the bottom of the ocean after the Great Flood. An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. The story of a Great Flood (also known as the Deluge) sent by a Deity or deities to destroy Civilization as an act of Divine retribution is a A mountain was placed on his back by the other gods so that they could churn the sea and find the ancient treasures of the Vedic peoples. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being

Tortoises as pets

Many tortoises have specific temperature, roaming space, light, air moisture, and diet requirements. They are difficult to breed in captivity, so many are caught in the wild. Tortoises need outdoor space to roam. It is not possible to house-train a tortoise.

Tortoises in popular culture

See main article Cultural depictions of turtles and tortoises

References

Further reading

• Chambers, Paul. Turtles and tortoises are frequently depicted in popular culture as easygoing patient and wise creatures snapping turtles aside 2004. A Sheltered Life: The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise. John Murray (Publishers), London. ISBN 0-7195-6528-6.
• Ernst,C. H. & Barbour,R. W. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D. C. - London.
• Gerlach, Justin. 2004. Giant Tortoises of the Indian Ocean. Chimiara publishers, Frankfurt.
• Kuyl, Antoinette C. van der et al. 2002. Phylogenetic Relationships among the Species of the Genus Testudo (Testudines: Testudinidae) Inferred from Mitochondrial 12S rRNA Gene Sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 22: 174-183.

External links

• The Reptile Database
• Family Testudinidae (Tortoises) of The Reptile Database
• Tortoise World
• Chelonia: Conservation and care of turtles.

Gallery

A baby Testudo marginata emerges from its shell	Testudo graeca ibera,Testudo hermanni boettgeri,Testudo hermanni hermanni,Testudo marginata sarda	A young (3. The Marginated Tortoise ( Testudo marginata) is a species of Tortoise found in Greece Italy and the Balkans in southern Europe 5 years) Sulcata Tortoise Geochelone sulcata	A young, 20 year old Tanzanian Leopard Tortoise feeding on grass
Aldabra Giant Tortoise Geochelone gigantea	App 22 year old Leopard Tortoise	An African Spurred Tortoise from the Oakland Zoo	Pair of tortoises mate in a zoo