Are Turtles Reptiles?
Turtles are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures! They’ve been around for over 220 million years, and for many people, they evoke feelings of love and awe.
But the big question is: are turtles reptiles?
What are Reptiles?
In order to answer this question, it’s important to understand what exactly ‘reptiles’ are. Reptiles are a class of animals that include snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and tuataras. They have a number of common characteristics, such as:
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- scales that are made of keratin
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- they are ‘cold-blooded’, meaning their body temperature is regulated by the environment
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- they lay eggs (which are usually leathery shells)
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- most do not have a rib cage
So… Are Turtles Reptiles?
The short answer is yes! Turtles and tortoises are reptiles, and are classified as such by most scientists.
Turtles share most of the characteristics listed above (they have scales made of keratin, they are cold-blooded, they lay eggs with leathery shells, and they usually do not have a rib cage).
Furthermore, turtles and tortoises’ closest relatives are lizards, snakes and other reptiles. This provides further evidence that turtles are indeed reptilian!
In conclusion, turtles and tortoises are definitely reptiles! They may not look like other reptiles, but they share many of the same characteristics and are classified as such.
