chelonian
English
Etymology
Chelonia + -an
Adjective
chelonian (comparative more chelonian, superlative most chelonian)
- Of, relating to, or belonging to the order Chelonia (Testudines), which includes the turtles and tortoises.
- 2004, Don Moll, The Ecology, Exploitation and Conservation of River Turtles, page 46:
- Chelonian eggs may be leathery or parchment-shelled that indent easily when laid and expand due to water uptake during incubation; harder-shelled but expansible eggs which behave much like parchment eggs during incubation; and brittle-shelled eggs which do not indent when laid and usually take up little or no external water during incubation (Ewert, 1979, 1985; Kuchling, 1999).
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Noun
chelonian (plural chelonians)
- A reptile of the order Chelonia (Testudines).