There are about 356 species of turtles living on land in all continents except Antarctica. They can live in both salt water and fresh water.
Testudines (which includes turtles) includes both living and extinct kinds. The earliest fossil of a turtle was found in China from the early Upper Triassic age. The fossil was from about 220 million years ago. Turtles are one of the oldest reptiles that are not extinct. Turtles have been on earth for longer than lizards, snakes and crocodiles. Turtles come from ancient turtles, which had spiked shells.