tortoises and turtles

One of the four Orders of reptiles, only two of which (Squamata and Testudines) are found in Canada. The other two Orders are Crocodylia (the crocodiles and alligators) and Rhynchocephalia (represented by a single lizard-like species from New Zealand, the Tuatara). This group includes all turtles, from small pond turtles barely 10 cm long to mammoth sea turtles almost 2 m in length. Testudines is a comparatively small group of organisms with just over 250 species worldwide. Despite this they occur in most ecosystems, from deserts to oceans.