Tortoise: symbolizes strength, courage, protection, wisdom, patience 58x9.3cm Full length alabaster statue

Turtles are an

Order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the side-necked turtles and hidden neck turtles which differ in the way the head retracts. There are 360 living and recently extinct species of turtles, including tortoises and terrapins. They are found on most continents, some islands and much of the ocean. Like other reptiles, birds, and mammals, they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. Turtles are ectotherms or "cold-blooded", meaning that their internal temperature varies with their direct environment. Genetic evidence typically places them in close relation to crocodilians and birds. Turtle shells are made mostly of bone; the upper part is the domed carapace, while the underside is the flatter plastron or belly-plate.

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