• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

• Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

• Reptiles (Class Reptilia)

• Turtles & ​Tortoises (Order Testudines)

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Order Testudines comprises the turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.  Testudines are uniquely characterized by a protective shell consisting of an upper carapace and lower plastron, which are formed from fused ribs, vertebrae, and dermal bone. Unlike other vertebrates, turtles cannot leave their shells because the shell is an integral part of their skeleton. Most species possess toothless jaws covered by a hard, keratinized beak adapted to diets ranging from herbivory to carnivory and omnivory. The order includes terrestrial tortoises, freshwater turtles, and highly adapted marine sea turtles capable of undertaking long-distance ocean migrations.​