Turtles and Tortoise belong to the same family called Testudines. However, the Tortoise is a member who is well adpated to living on land only approaching water to drink or bathe. They have a larger domed shell and thicker/more stocky legs than the Turtle. Turtles generally have smaller legs and spend a lot of time swimming in water as well as being able to venture onto land. Their shell is much flatter than that of the Tortoise, making it more streamlined for swimming.