Do you want to know the differences between tortoises and tortoises? In this article on our site we focus on the details of the evolution that these precious reptiles have acquired over time.
In the Triassic, 260 million years ago, the ancestor of the tortoise, the Captorhinus, appeared for the first time. It was the first reptile to have a shell that covered its thorax, organs, and also, covered his ribs. This made it possible for some animals, such as turtles, to develop a shell of bone.
Read on to learn all about turtles!
Differences in longevity
There is a big difference between the ages a tortoise can live depending on its species Tortoises, for example, are the longest, living more than 100 years. In fact, the longest-living tortoise in history was a star tortoise from Madagascar that lived to be 188 years old.
On the contrary, terrapins usually live between 15 and 20 years. A special case are freshwater turtles, which can live up to 30 years if they receive good care.
Adaptation of the legs to the environment
The legs of the turtle is one of the most important elements when determining if you are dealing with a water turtle or a land turtle.
Bearing in mind that sea turtles remain constantly in the water, it is logical that their legs are made up of a series of membranes that allow them to swimThese membranes, called interdigital membranes because they are found between the toes, are easy to see with the naked eye.
In the case of tortoises, they do not have these membranes but their legs are tube-shaped and their fingers are more developed.
Another interesting difference is that sea turtles have long, pointed nails while land turtles are shorter and stunted.
The character of the turtles
The character depends a lot on the habitat in which they live and whether they are domestic or not.
In this case, water turtles tend to have a very calm character despite the fact that their interaction if they are in captivity is very little.
However, the temperament of tortoises is stronger and it is that living in freedom and having to protect their young is what makes them more irascible and always on the defensive.
An example of extreme aggressiveness can be seen in the alligator turtle, a turtle that adapts wonderfully to living on land and in water.
Differences in the shell
In the case of the shell, the most important difference is that while the terrapin has a smooth and very soft shell that helps to move through the water, the land turtle has a shell full of wrinkles and with a very irregular shape. This last type of shell is very characteristic, for example, from the African gopher tortoise.
