Testudines

Table of contents 1 Placement 2 Synonyms and common names 3 References 4 Text 5 Children

Placement

Kingdom Animalia (animals)

Phylum Chordata (vertebrates & kin)

Class Reptilia (reptiles) OR Anapsida

Order Testudines

Synonyms and common names

Turtles, terrapins, tortoises

References

http://www.innvista.com/taxonomy/reptiles/default.htm
as of 2002-06-16
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/anapsids/testudines/testudines.html
as of 2002-06-17

Text

Leatherback turtle. Photo credit: NOAA

Testudines is the order of reptiles containing all turtles. All living turtles are in Chelonia; but some extinct turtles are Testudines but not Chelonia.

Testudines are anapsids, that is, their skulls lack temporal openings, and they are classified by cladists in the taxon Anapsida. All other extant amniotes have temporal openings (although in mammals the hole is obscured).

Children

• Carettochelyidae[?]
• Chelidae[?]
• Cheloniidae[?]
• Chelydridae[?]
• Dermatemydidae[?]
• Dermochelyidae[?]
• Emydidae[?]
• Kinosternidae[?]
• Pelomedusidae[?]
• Platysternidae[?]
• Testudinidae[?]
• Trionychidae[?]

See Also: Jackson Ratio