turtle vs tortoises

Turtle, Tortoise, and Terrapin: What’s the Difference?

All turtles, tortoises, and terrapins are reptiles. Scientists often refer to them as chelonians, because they are in the taxonomic order called Chelonia (from the Greek word for tortoise). They all have scales, lay eggs, and are ectothermic. So why the different names? Those common names usually refer to differences in where the species live and how they use their habitat. But the names are also used differently in other parts of the world. For instance, in Australia only sea turtles are called turtles–everything else is called a tortoise! But here are some generally accepted differences between the types of chelonians.

kura - kura Vs Penyu

Kura-kura dan penyu adalah hewan bersisik berkaki empat yang termasuk golongan reptil. Bangsa hewan yang disebut (ordo) Testudinata (atau Chelonians) ini khas dan mudah dikenali dengan adanya ‘rumah’ atau batok (bony shell) yang keras dan kaku.

Batok kura-kura ini terdiri dari dua bagian. Bagian atas yang menutupi punggung disebut karapas (carapace) dan bagian bawah (ventral, perut) disebut plastron. Kemudian setiap bagiannya ini terdiri dari dua lapis. Lapis luar umumnya berupa sisik-sisik besar dan keras, dan tersusun seperti genting; sementara lapis bagian dalam berupa lempeng-lempeng tulang yang tersusun rapat seperti tempurung. Perkecualian terdapat pada kelompok labi-labi (Trionychoidea) dan jenis penyu belimbing, yang lapis luarnya tiada bersisik dan digantikan lapisan kulit di bagian luar tempurung tulangnya

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Turtles information And Species

Turtles are interesting pets to have. They are prehistoric looking with the most obvious characteristic being the house they carry on their back, the shell. They are long-lived creatures, their have been many records set on how long turtles can live. Some can live up to 80 to 100 years. So you may be embarking on a long commitment.

Turtles can be divided into three large groups:
a. sea turtles
b. tortoises
c. plain turtles

From The species, turtle also can divided into :
(this is the species most turtle pets) :

• Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temmincki)

describe :

Geographical Region: They are found in an area from southeast Georgia, west to Texas, north to Iowa and Indiana.
Size: Can reach more than 26 inches.
Weight: Up to 300 pounds.
Habitat: They like deep waters in rivers and lakes.
Food: Carnivorous, they eat anything they can catch, even other turtles.
Interesting Fact: They are the largest freshwater turtle in the world.

• Box Turtle: Terrapene ornata ornata

describe:

Geographical Region: There are different types of box turtle species that live all over the world.
Size: Between 5 to 6 inches. Males have longer tails than females.
Habitat: They are land animals that prefer moist areas. Sometimes spotted in fields and forests.
Food: Omnivorous; they eat insects, fruits, and veggies.
Interesting Fact: A box turtle lives most of its long life in a small parcel of land near its place of birth. This area is known as its home range, an area not much larger than a couple of football fields.

• Slider Turtle: Chrysemys scripta
  

describe :

Geographical Region: They are found from Virginia to Florida, west to New Mexico, and south to Brazil.
Size: From 5 to 12 inches with females larger than males.
Habitat: They like calm waters like ponds, marshes, and lakes with soft bottoms and dense vegetation.
Food: Carnivorous when they are young, more herbivorous when they get older. They eat earthworms, crayfish, chicken, fish, insects, and plants and veggies.
Interesting Fact: They are one of the most common pet turtles.

• Painted Turtle: Chrysemis picta

Geographical Region: They are found throughout most of the United States and southern Canada.
Size: 4 to 10 inches, with females being larger than males.
Habitat: They like slow moving shallow waters like ponds, marshes, and lakes.
Food: Carnivorous when they are young, more herbivorous when they get older. They eat earthworms, crayfish, slugs and plants..
Interesting Fact: They are the most wide spread turtle in North America.


Source : http://www.allturtles.com/species.php