What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?

Tortoises and turtles are both reptiles from the order of Testudines, but in different classification families. The major difference between the two is that tortoises dwell on land, while turtles live in the water some or nearly all of the time. read more

However, not all land turtles are tortoises; thus, box turtles and wood turtles have been called tortoises, though they are not considered tortoises today. But that’s a matter for another day. One way to further distinguish tortoises from other turtles is to look for certain anatomical features. read more

A division of reptiles called chelonia includes turtles, tortoises and terrapins. For the most part, the difference between a turtle and a tortoise is more of a matter of semantics than a strict scientific separation. Colloquially, both biologists and laypeople use the word "turtle" to mean all chelonians. read more