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Isn't the turtle/tortoise distinction different in different regions, though? Correct usage in Canada and the US won't always be correct in the UK or Australia. Or so I've been told...but, maybe the people who told me this were themselves mistaken about what is correct where they live? Does anyone know for certain?
The turtle/tortoise/terrapin distinction is slightly affected by where you're from. Tortoises are terrestrial, have feet that are stumpy and not webbed, and usually lack hinges in their shells. Turtles are mostly aquatic, have webbed feet, and have hinged shells. Terrapins are either: a)brackish water turtles or b)terrestrial turtles. In the US we go with A and call B box turtles. I think that the opposite is true in the UK. This explanation is not scientific but should suffice for us hobbyists.