Reptiles: turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. Testudines is the scientific order name, while Chelonia is an older name for the same group, and Chelonian is the adjective form used to describe members of this order. Essentially, they are synonyms within the context of reptile classification.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Testudines:
This is the currently accepted scientific order name for turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.
- Chelonia:
This is an older name for the same group, and it’s also used as a common name for these reptiles, especially in some regions.
- Chelonian:
This adjective is used to describe anything related to the order Testudines, such as “chelonian anatomy” or “a chelonian habitat”.
- Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins:
While these are common names, they are all members of the Testudines order. The distinction between them is often based on habitat: turtles live in water (fresh or saltwater), tortoises live on land, and terrapins are often freshwater turtles.