Fw: Turtle terminology

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

My question...

> > So "turtle" only means "sea turtle" to them? As in "turtles, tortoises
> > and terrapins", and not as in "Teenage Mutant Hero/Ninja Turtles"?

...has been answered offlist (forwarded with permission):

> Keep in mind that you're basing what you know here on a press release,
> and not on a technically expressed point of view. But yes, the wording in
> the BBC article makes out that 'turtle' is synonymous with 'sea turtle', 
> and
> the big deal about _Araripemys arturi_ is that its paddle-like feet 
> suggest
> a parallel with aquatic testudines. I didn't talk to the journalists, but 
> as is
> well known it is indeed SOP in Britain that 'turtle' is not synonymous 
> with
> Testudines - it does indeed mean instead 'sea turtle'. From this 
> perspective,
> araripemydids would be terrapins that are approaching a turtle-like
> condition. However, it is pretty normal nowadays for us to be like
> Americans and use the term turtle for all members of Testudines.

I see... thanks! I didn't know *Araripemys* was a terrapin.

(I have been told, on the other hand, that in Australia, where there are no 
testudinids, "tortoise" is used for the big, snappy, aquatic chelids. Oh, 
for German where everything is a "shield toad"... ;-) )

> --
> Darren Naish
> University of Portsmouth, Uk
> "Bones heal but glory is forever"