Turtle terminology

thumb|Palau|Palauan Toluk made from tortoiseshell thumb|upright|Cabinet with tortoiseshell wikt:veneer|veneers thumb|French singing bird box with a case made out of tortoiseshell.Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill sea turtle, which is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List largely because of its exploitation for this trade. The large size, fine color, and unusual form of the hawksbill's scutes make it especially suitable. The distinctive patterning is referred to in na

shield for the ventral and dorsal parts of turtles, tortoises and terrapins