Tortoise

Tortoise
Tortoises are probably the most recognizable of all cold blooded animals. Their big, bony armor covering their entire body, and their retractable legs and heads make them some of the most interesting of all cold blooded animals as well.

Description
Tortoises, like turtles, are bodies in armor. Their large shells is compromised of bone, usually 50-60 bones to be exact, and is a part of their body. It grows, changes slightly in coloration, and forms rings. It provides exraordinary protection for the tortoise in it, and is unique in the animal kingdom. The shell is made up of two parts, usually fused together: the carapace on the animal's back, and the plastron covering the underside of the tortoise. The carapace is covered with bony plates or "scutes". These are the humps on a tortoise's top shell. They provide extra protection from biting predators. The back vertebrae and ribs are both fused to the carapace.

The shells on tortoises are usually bigger and rounder than those of turtles. This is because of the difference in habitat. Tortoises are, as stated above, usually found on dry ground and can be a long ways away from any water to dive and hide in, and need to be more protected. A larger, rounder shell, obviously, gives more protection than a flatter one. This is also because a flatter shell is unneeded. Turtles swim a lot, so a flatter shell is better because it has less water resistance than a big round one. Tortoises don't swim, so a flatter shell is unnecessary.

Most tortoises (only one or two exceptions) can retract their head and legs into their shells. They simply pull their legs and their head into the shell when they are threatened by something, and they are completely protected (most of the time). Shell shpes are different in all species, different tortoises might retract in different ways.

Besides the shell, the only parts of the body you can see are the legs, the head, and the tail. The legs are usually short and stubby, and tortoises' plastrons are very close to the ground, if not touching it. The head is completely different in all species, some have very large heads, and some have little ones. Sometimes the neck is quite long, and is sticking out far from the shell, and in some species the neck isn't even visible behind the head because it is so short.

Size
Sizes vary depending on the species, the smallest being the Speckled Cape Padloper Tortoise measuring under 3 inches at full grown length, the largest being the Galapagos Giant Tortoise measuring at over 6 feet long. There are many different sizes of tortoise in between.

Distribution
Tortoises can be found in many places, from dense forests to hot, dry deserts. They are found on every continent except for Antarctica. They are also found on various islands like Madagascar and the Galapagos. Tortoises are usually found on dry land, unlike turtles that are usually found in or near water. They do need water, however, so a source must be somewhat close. They also need a food supply, so you probably won't find them in very barren places.

Diet
Different species of tortoise eat different hings, but the majority of tortoises are herbivores, meaning they eat only vegetation. A few are carniverous (eats only meat), and the rest are omnivorous (they eat both plants and meat).