Cryptodira

Cryptodira Temporal range: Late Jurassic–Present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira Cope, 1868[1]
Subgroups
See text
Synonyms[1][2]
Cryptoderes Duméril and Bibron, 1834 Cryptodera Lichtenstein, 1856 Cryptodira Cope, 1868 Cryptodiramorpha Lee, 1995 Pancryptodira Joyce, Parham, and Gauthier, 2004

The Cryptodira (Greek: hidden neck) are a suborder of Testudines that includes most living tortoises and turtles. Cryptodira differ from Pleurodira (side-necked turtles) in that they lower their necks and pull the heads straight back into the shells, instead of folding their necks sideways along the body under the shells' marginals. They include among their species freshwater turtles, snapping turtles, tortoises, softshell turtles, and sea turtles.