Testudinata

plural noun

Tes·​tu·​di·​na·​ta
-ˈātə
: an order or other division of Reptilia comprising the turtles and tortoises and being distinguished by a trunk more or less enclosed in a shell of bony dermal plates that is usually covered externally with horny shields and in nearly all cases firmly united with some of the vertebrae, ribs, and sternum, and by jaws that are toothless and sheathed

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Testudin-, Testudo + -ata

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Cite this Entry

“Testudinata.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Testudinata. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

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