How many species of turtle are there?
Turtle
356 known
Turtles are diapsids of the order Testudines (or Chelonii[3]) characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield.[4] "Turtle" may refer to the order as a whole (American English) or to fresh-water and sea-dwelling testudines (British English).[5] The order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known members of this group date from million years ago,[1][6] making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than snakes or crocodilians. Of the 356 known species[2] alive today, some are highly endangered.[2]