Tortoise Glossary Terms

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Glossary Terms:  O

Occlusion:

The alignment between upper and lower jaw.

Ocular Infection:

See eye infection.

Oedema:

An abnormal build up of water in the tissues - fluid retention.  Can indicate renal disease.

Offspring:

The young or babies of the tortoise.

Omnivore/Omnivorous:

Feeding on both meat and plant material.

Ontogenetic:

The process of ageing.

Opportunistic:

To take advantage of the situation or opportunity at hand.  An opportunistic feeder is an animal that eats whatever is available.

Optic:

Belonging to or relating to the eyes.

Order:

A taxonomic classification made up of related families of organisms.
Tortoises belong to the taxanomical order Testudines, in the family group Chelonians.

Osteological:

Relating to bones and their structure.

Ovulate:

To ripen and release an egg or eggs from the ovary for possible fertilisation.

Ovulation:

The release of mature ova from the ovary.

Oviparous:

An animal which lays eggs.

Oviposition:

The process of egg laying.

 Oxyurus sp.:

See pinworms.