Home›Species›Taxonomy›TestudinidaeTaxaTestudinidaeReptile FamiliesReference and ClassificationThoroughly VerifiedTestudinidae is a family of reptiles commonly known as tortoises, within the order Testudines, distinguished like other testudines by a protective shell. Tortoises vary considerably in size, from species measuring about 6.8 centimeters to others exceeding 1.2 meters in length, and are the longest-living land animals, typically living 80 to 150 years and occasionally longer.FactsTestudinidaeConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsTaxonomic RankWell-attestedFamily 1Scientific NameWell-attestedTestudinidae 1Geographic DistributionWell-attestedSouthern North America to southern South America, the Mediterranean basin, Eurasia to Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and some Pacific islands 1Defining CharacteristicsWell-attestedHave a hard shell that protects them from predation and other threats, as in other testudines 1IdentificationDistinguishing AppearanceWell-attestedSize varies widely, from shells of about 6.8 centimetres in the speckled Cape tortoise to more than 1.2 metres in length in the Galápagos giant tortoise 1ClassificationLiving or ExtinctWell-attestedYes 2TestudinidaeFilter Results8 entriesCommon GroupAllTurtles And Tortoises (Testudines) (8)HabitatAllDesert (2)Grassland (4)Mangrove Forest (1)Salt Marsh (1)Savanna (1)Conservation StatusAllCritically Endangered (3)Endangered (1)Least Concern (1)Vulnerable (3)EcosystemAllMediterranean Basin (1)Sahara Desert (1)Thar Desert (1)Everyday GroupAllTurtles And Tortoises (Testudines) (8)DietAllHerbivore (7)System (Realm)AllTerrestrial (7)ThreatsAllBiological Resource Use (2)Relationship to PeopleAllHunted or Fished (1)Invasive or Introduced Species (1)Kept as Pets (6)Used in Traditional Medicine (1)Living or ExtinctAllYes (7)Where It LivesAllAfrica (6)Belgium (2)Czechia (1)Denmark (1)Ecuador (1)France (1)Madagascar (1)Mauritius (1)Norway (1)Poland (1)South Asia (1)Sudan (1)Taiwan (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 8African Spurred TortoiseTestudinidaeAldabra Giant TortoiseTestudinidaeEgyptian tortoiseTestudinidaeIndian Star TortoiseTestudinidaeLeopard TortoiseTestudinidaePancake TortoiseTestudinidaeRadiated TortoiseTestudinidaeTestudo HermanniTestudinidaeConnectionsParent Taxon OfAfrican Spurred Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: African Spurred Tortoisetier 2Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Aldabra Giant Tortoisetier 2Egyptian tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Egyptian tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2Indian Star Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Indian Star Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2Leopard Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Leopard TortoisePancake Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Pancake Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2Radiated Tortoise, Species Well-attested Source Radiated Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2Testudo Hermanni, Species Well-attested Source Hermann's tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2In the Other AtlasesFound InAfricaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.East AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.North AmericaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.South AmericaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Southeast AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Sub-Saharan AfricaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.The MediterraneanAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Sources1. Testudinidae, WikipediaIntroductionTortoises ( TOR-təs-iz) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise").Lead section, distribution sentenceTortoises are found from southern North America to southern South America, around the Mediterranean basin, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and some Pacific islands.Lead section, shell sentenceLike other testudines, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats.Lead section, size sentenceTortoises can vary in size with some species, such as the Galápagos giant tortoise, growing to more than 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) in length, whereas others like the speckled Cape tortoise have shells that measure only 6.8 centimetres (2.7 in) long.View the Source2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)tier 2Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ46360, descriptionView the SourceWikidata: TestudinidaeWikidata Q46360, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the SourceWikidata: Aldabra Giant Tortoisetier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: African Spurred Tortoisetier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: African Spurred Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceIndian Star Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Indian Star Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Leopard TortoiseParent Taxon Of: Leopard Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceRadiated Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Radiated Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourcePancake Tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Pancake Tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceHermann's tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Testudo Hermanni, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceEgyptian tortoise (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Egyptian tortoise, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceTortoise (Wikipedia)In Group: Turtle and Tortoise Families (Testudines), LeadQuote, In Group: Turtle and Tortoise Families (Testudines), LeadTortoises ( TOR-təs-iz) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise").View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. 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