Glossary

Carapace: A turtle's shell.

Chelonian: turtle, tortoise, pertaining to turtles.

Herpetology: Study of reptiles and amphibians. (zoology)

Hibernation: Passage of winter season in sleep or restful state.

Neonate: Newborn.

Plastron: The breastplate or "belly" of a turtle.

Scute: "Large Scale". In turtles refers to one of the defined regions on the carapace and plastron.

Costal scute: One of the many scutes outlining a turtle's carapace.

Nuchal scute: Small scute on the carapace just behind a turtle's head.

Yolk Sac: The small sac that, on developing slider turtle embryo, is attached to the plastron and gives the animals the nitrients needed to survive during development.

Trachemys: A taxonomic name for the genus that all "sliders" are currently classified in.