Tortoise Origins?

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AnthonyC

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Does anyone know anything about the origin of tortoises? Have they always been tortoises, or are they descendents of something else? I tried to look up some information, but came up empty handed.
 

dmmj

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they have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, although larger.
 

Madkins007

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If the current thinking is correct, chelonians branched off the tree before the dinos did, so they are older as a group.

The egg or the tortoise is an old conundrum, and is mostly just plain poorly phrased. As stated, the obvious answer is 'the egg' since fish and insects have been using eggs for a gazillion years.

If we limit it to 'what came first, the tortoise or the tortoise egg', then speaking from an evolutionary standpoint- the egg still came first, as it would have been laid by something very close to, but not quite a tortoise and the new tortoise mutant would have been born from it.

It is supposed to be this deep, philosophical question- but like most deep philosophical questions- it is kinda easy to answer in real life. (Glass half full or half empty? Depends on if you are filling or draining it, or if you like/need what is in it. It is a situation-dependent issue.)
 

dmmj

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Glass half full or half empty I don't care I am just thirsty.
 

Torty Mom

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Half full or half empty, after the week I've been having there better be something in it to give me a headache the next day!
 

dmarcus

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Interesting, tortoises are very old, now we know why they live so long..They have had a lot of time to get it right...
 
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