Glossary
A
Anterior - Towards the head or front of the shell
Aquatic - Living in water.
Areola - The center are of the scute
B
Bask, Basking - To be in sunlight or a warm atmosphere.
Beak - The horny covering of the jaws. Some species have a notch or cusp in the upper beak.
Bridge - The part of the shell that connects the carapace and the plastron.
Brumation - hibernation.
C
Carapace - The top shell of a chelonian.
Carnivore - An animal that eats the flesh of other animals; Meat eaters.
Caudal - The tail area.
Chelonian - A tortoise, turtle and terrapene.
CITES - Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species. This was set up to regulate the trade of
species that are endangered or likely to be endangered.
Cloaca - The chamber in the tail where digestive, urinary, and reproductive products are discharged.
Clutch - The name of the group of eggs laid by a female.
Cusp - A sharp projection at the end of the jaw.
E
Egg Binding - A condition when a female turtle is unable to lay her eggs.
Egg Tooth - A small bony projection at the end of the upper jaw of a hatchling turtle used to pierce the egg shell
while hatching.
Estivate - Inactivity during periods of drought and/or high temperatures. This is not to be confused with hibernation.
G
Genetic - Pertaining to genes.
Genus - A category of biological classification ranking between family and species.
Gestation - The period between fertilization and the laying of the eggs.
Gravid - Having eggs.
H
Habitat- An environment where an animal naturally lives.
Hatchling - The turtle just after it leaves its egg.
Herpetology - The study of reptiles and amphibians.
Hibernation - Winter inactivity where specific biological changes occur. Not all chelonians hibernate.
Hinge - A moveable joint in the shell.
Hybrid - An offspring from parents who are not the same species or subspecies.
I
Incubation - The phase of the egg after being laid and before hatching. During this period, it needs proper
temperatures and humidity.
J
Juvenile - Not sexually mature.
K
Keel - A lengthwise ridge running lengthwise along the carapace, usually the center. Some turtles have
more than one keel.
Keratin - Fibrous protein present in structures such as the carapace scutes, beaks and claws.
L
Lateral - Pertaining to the side
M
Marginal scutes - The small scutes along the edge of the carapace.
N
Nares - The openings to the nasal cavity.
Necrosis - Tissue that is no longer living
Nitrate - The final stage of digestive filtration, containing ammonia and nitrate. Many turtles and tortoises
expel this, appearing as a white, thick substance when eliminating.
Nocturnal - Active at night.
Nuchal Scute - A small scute on some turtles at the front of the carapace
P
Plastron - The bottom shell of a chelonian.
Pleural scutes - Scutes running along each side of the carapace, next to the vertebral scutes.
R
Renal - Pertaining to the kidneys.
RH - Relative humidity.
S
SCL - The measuring of the straight carapace length of a turtle, not going over the curve.
Savannah - An area of open plains and grasses.
Scute - The scales covering the bones of a turtles shell.
Serrated - Jagged.
Subcutaneous - Beneath the skin.
Subspecies - A subdivision of a single species.
Substrate - The material(s) used on the flooring of a turtle pen. This can be mulch, dirt, sand, and/or other
natural materials.
Suture - The seams between two boney areas.
Supracaudal scute - The scute above the tail.
Supramarginal scutes - A series of small scutes running between the pleural and marginal scutes. Not all
turtles have these.
Systemic - Affecting the entire body.
T
Temperate - Environments where winter and summer is experienced.
Terrestrial - Living on the ground.
Tomium - The sharp beak of a turtle.
V
Ventral - Regarding the underside.
Vertebral - Relating to the spine. The vertebral scutes run along the top of the carapace.
Vivarium - An indoor set-up for an animal.
Anterior - Towards the head or front of the shell
Aquatic - Living in water.
Areola - The center are of the scute
B
Bask, Basking - To be in sunlight or a warm atmosphere.
Beak - The horny covering of the jaws. Some species have a notch or cusp in the upper beak.
Bridge - The part of the shell that connects the carapace and the plastron.
Brumation - hibernation.
C
Carapace - The top shell of a chelonian.
Carnivore - An animal that eats the flesh of other animals; Meat eaters.
Caudal - The tail area.
Chelonian - A tortoise, turtle and terrapene.
CITES - Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species. This was set up to regulate the trade of
species that are endangered or likely to be endangered.
Cloaca - The chamber in the tail where digestive, urinary, and reproductive products are discharged.
Clutch - The name of the group of eggs laid by a female.
Cusp - A sharp projection at the end of the jaw.
E
Egg Binding - A condition when a female turtle is unable to lay her eggs.
Egg Tooth - A small bony projection at the end of the upper jaw of a hatchling turtle used to pierce the egg shell
while hatching.
Estivate - Inactivity during periods of drought and/or high temperatures. This is not to be confused with hibernation.
G
Genetic - Pertaining to genes.
Genus - A category of biological classification ranking between family and species.
Gestation - The period between fertilization and the laying of the eggs.
Gravid - Having eggs.
H
Habitat- An environment where an animal naturally lives.
Hatchling - The turtle just after it leaves its egg.
Herpetology - The study of reptiles and amphibians.
Hibernation - Winter inactivity where specific biological changes occur. Not all chelonians hibernate.
Hinge - A moveable joint in the shell.
Hybrid - An offspring from parents who are not the same species or subspecies.
I
Incubation - The phase of the egg after being laid and before hatching. During this period, it needs proper
temperatures and humidity.
J
Juvenile - Not sexually mature.
K
Keel - A lengthwise ridge running lengthwise along the carapace, usually the center. Some turtles have
more than one keel.
Keratin - Fibrous protein present in structures such as the carapace scutes, beaks and claws.
L
Lateral - Pertaining to the side
M
Marginal scutes - The small scutes along the edge of the carapace.
N
Nares - The openings to the nasal cavity.
Necrosis - Tissue that is no longer living
Nitrate - The final stage of digestive filtration, containing ammonia and nitrate. Many turtles and tortoises
expel this, appearing as a white, thick substance when eliminating.
Nocturnal - Active at night.
Nuchal Scute - A small scute on some turtles at the front of the carapace
P
Plastron - The bottom shell of a chelonian.
Pleural scutes - Scutes running along each side of the carapace, next to the vertebral scutes.
R
Renal - Pertaining to the kidneys.
RH - Relative humidity.
S
SCL - The measuring of the straight carapace length of a turtle, not going over the curve.
Savannah - An area of open plains and grasses.
Scute - The scales covering the bones of a turtles shell.
Serrated - Jagged.
Subcutaneous - Beneath the skin.
Subspecies - A subdivision of a single species.
Substrate - The material(s) used on the flooring of a turtle pen. This can be mulch, dirt, sand, and/or other
natural materials.
Suture - The seams between two boney areas.
Supracaudal scute - The scute above the tail.
Supramarginal scutes - A series of small scutes running between the pleural and marginal scutes. Not all
turtles have these.
Systemic - Affecting the entire body.
T
Temperate - Environments where winter and summer is experienced.
Terrestrial - Living on the ground.
Tomium - The sharp beak of a turtle.
V
Ventral - Regarding the underside.
Vertebral - Relating to the spine. The vertebral scutes run along the top of the carapace.
Vivarium - An indoor set-up for an animal.