Editing Tortoise (section)

{{Short description|Family of turtles}}
{{About|the reptile|other uses}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Testudinidae
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Eocene|Recent}}
| image = A. gigantea Aldabra Giant Tortoise.jpg
| image_caption = [[Aldabra giant tortoise]]<br />(''Aldabrachelys gigantea'')
| taxon = Testudinidae 

| authority = [[August Batsch|Batsch]], 1788
| type_genus = ''[[Testudo (genus)|Testudo]]''
| type_genus_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]
| subdivision_ranks = Subgroups
| subdivision =
}}

'''Tortoises''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɔːr|t|ə|s|.|ᵻ|z}} {{respell|TOR|təs|iz}}) are [[reptiles]] of the family '''Testudinidae''' of the order [[Testudines]] ([[Latin]] for "tortoise"). Like other [[turtle]]s, tortoises have a [[turtle shell|shell]] to protect from [[predation]] and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like other members of the suborder [[Cryptodira]], they retract their necks and heads directly backward into the shell to protect them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Samantha |date= |title=How Strong Is A Tortoise Shell? |url=https://www.tortoiseknowledge.com/how-strong-is-a-tortoise-shell/ |access-date=23 January 2023 |website=Tortoise Knowledge |language=en-US}}</ref>

Tortoises can vary in size with some species, such as the [[Galápagos tortoise|Galápagos giant tortoise]], growing to more than {{convert|1.2|m|ft}} in length, whereas others like the [[Chersobius signatus|Speckled cape tortoise]] have shells that measure only {{convert|6.8|cm|in}} long.<ref>{{Cite book|title=encyclopedia of LIFE|publisher=Miles Kelly|year=2017|isbn=978-1-78617-327-0|pages=211}}</ref> Several lineages of tortoises have independently evolved very large body sizes in excess of {{convert|100|kg|lbs}}, including the Galapagos giant tortoise and the [[Aldabra giant tortoise]]. They are usually [[Diurnality|diurnal]] animals with tendencies to be [[crepuscular]] depending on the ambient temperatures. They are generally [[reclusive]] animals. Tortoises are the longest-living land animals in the world, although the longest-living species of tortoise is a matter of debate. [[Galápagos tortoise]]s are noted to live over 150 years, but an Aldabra giant tortoise named [[Adwaita]] may have lived an estimated 255 years. In general, most tortoise species can live 80–150 years. 

Tortoises are placid and slow-moving, with an average walking speed of 0.2–0.5&nbsp;km/h.{{Citation Needed|date=May 2023}}