Yes, turtles are reptiles. Turtles are sluggish but perfectly adapted to the environment and have a long life expectancy. For a man, the turtle meat is very useful. Turtles – one of the oldest representatives of reptiles (reptiles), living on Earth hundreds of millions of years.
There are more than three hundred species. There are land turtles and prefer the aquatic environment (marine and freshwater). There are herbivores and there are predators. Often, many species are omnivorous. The largest live in water.
Are up to two and a half meters in length and have a weight of up to nine hundred kilograms and more. The largest of the land can reach almost two meters in length and weigh four hundred kilograms. Small species hardly exceed ten centimeters in length and gain weight less than two hundred grams. They are also diverse in the structure of individual parts of the body. Thus, in marine life, the forelimbs have transformed into fins, while in the fore the front paws are adapted to dig holes. Some of them are long-necked, and some are long-tailed. Herbivores are toothless, and in predators in the mouth the incisors are like razors.
Externally, the turtles differ sharply from other living beings. They can not be confused with anyone. Each individual wears a strong protective shell covering his back and belly. In fact, this is the house of a reptile. There are usually placed, and head, and tail, and limbs. Turtles have good eyesight and excellent hearing. This helps them to find food and to escape the attacks of enemies. Under adverse climatic conditions (drought, cold), they go into hibernation for several months. These reptiles live in a vast area, encompassing the tropics and temperate climatic regions.
