Biology:List of fictional turtles

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"The Tortoise and the Hare", from an edition of Aesop's Fables illustrated by Arthur Rackham, 1912

This is a list of fictional turtles, tortoises, and terrapins from literature, movies and other elements of popular culture.

In mythology, legends, and folklore

Character Origin Notes
Aspidochelone A giant turtle sea monster
Br'er Turtle (Br'er Tarrypin) Uncle Remus's folk tales
Genbu Japanese Mythology
Kappa Japanese Mythology A turtle-like humanoid
Kurma Hindu mythology The second of the dashavatars of Vishnu
Mbeku West African mythology Trickster tortoise in Igbo and West African folktales
Minogame Urashima Taro A sea turtle, is said to be Otohime, daughter of the Emperor of the Sea
The Tortoise The Tortoise and the Hare from Aesop's Fables
Turtle Island North American Indigenous Peoples Lenape "Great Turtle", Iroquois "Hah-nu-nah"
World Turtle Hindu mythology Also referred to as Akupara, the Cosmic Turtle or the World-bearing Turtle

In literature

Character Origin Author Notes
Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher Beatrix Potter One of Jeremy's two friends who brings him some salad for dinner.
Alfie Esio Trot Roald Dahl Illustrated by Quentin Blake.
Cassiopeia Momo Michael Ende
Clothahump Spellsinger Alan Dean Foster Aged turtle wizard.
Fastitocalon The Adventures of Tom Bombadil J. R. R. Tolkien A sea turtle the size of a small island, fooling mariners who attempted to land on him.
Franklin Franklin the Turtle Paulette Bourgeois Illustrated by Brenda Clark. Adapted into an Animated Series and a CGI Series.
Great A'Tuin Discworld Terry Pratchett The World Turtle, carrying the four elephants which hold the Discworld.
Leatherback turtle The Wreck of the Zanzibar Michael Morpurgo A turtle nursed back to health by Laura and Granny May believes he participated in the Wreck of the Zanzibar.
Mock Turtle Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll
Morla The Neverending Story Michael Ende A giant, wise swamp turtle.
Mudface Doctor Dolittle Hugh Lofting Particularly Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake
Om Small Gods Terry Pratchett A god briefly incarnated as a tortoise.
Ove Bert Diaries[1] Anders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson Illustrated by Sonja Härdin.
Plautus/Lightning Arcadia (play) Tom Stoppard In both the past and present portions of the play.
Slow-and-Solid Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling A tortoise who is one of the protagonists the story.
Spotty Old Mother West Wind Thornton Burgess
The Tortoise What the Tortoise Said to Achilles Lewis Carroll Also in sequel dialogs in Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter
Tortoise À rebours Joris-Karl Huysmans
Yertle and Mack Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories Dr. Seuss A popular children's tale that cautions against despotism. Yertle is the grandiose king of the pond who decides he rules whatever he can see—and makes the turtles stack up to the sky. Mack is the turtle at the bottom who ultimately rebels and brings the stack crashing down.
Maturin The Dark Tower (series) & It (novel) Stephen King Considered the most powerful of the guardians of the beams.
Minn Minn of the Mississippi Holling C. Holling
Tortoise The Grapes of Wrath

[Chapter 3]

John Steinbeck A tortoise crosses the road to get to the sea. Its struggle to do so (even being hit by a car and land on its back) can be read allegorically for the struggles the Joad family has to endure.
'The tortoise(s)' The Tortoises [org. title: Die Schildkröten] Veza Canetti The novel takes place in Anschluss-Vienna and features tortoises in which a local craftsman intends to engrave swastikas as sign of welcome to the expected Nazis. Heartbroken about this practice, the Jewish protagonist Kain buys all the untouched ones and takes them home. One of them, however, still naturally features a swastika-like form on its shell. Kain's brother Werner, a stone specialist, particularly identifies with the tortoises. Yet all Jewish characters appear to do so in some way. Being forced to dine with the SA official Pilz, they present him with mock-turtle soup they do not eat themselves (as it is not koscher), one of them says: "We are the tortoises." Additionally, remarks to other popular uses of the tortoise's body (e.g. for combs) are briefly drawn attention to.

Although the animal itself plays a minor character in the novel, it arguably stands symbolically for the novels characters and their resistance.

In comics

Character Origin First appearance Notes
Arnold Weber Best friend of Weber the ladybird in Gommaar Timmermans' comic series Weber. [2]
Burocracia Quino Mafalda's pet
Caroline Boule et Bill Bill's best friend.[3]
Churchy LaFemme Pogo
Donatello Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984) Nicknames: Don, Donnie
Weapon of choice: The (long staff)
Bandana: red (Mirage/Image Comics), purple (elsewhere)
Elvis Elvis
Fillmore Sherman's Lagoon
Genbu Yu Yu Hakusho Villainous member of the saint beasts.
Jack (Dolly) Ox Tales
Jinmen Devilman Villain who puts people's faces into his shell.
John the Turtle B.C. A friend of the Dookie Bird
Leonardo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984) Nickname: Leo
Weapon of choice: the Katana (sword)
Bandana: red (Mirage/Image Comics), blue (elsewhere)
Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984) Nicknames: Mike, Mikey
Weapon of choice: The Nunchaku (nunchucks)
Bandana: red (Mirage/Image Comics), orange (elsewhere)
The Millennium Tortoise Image Comics Goes to Aqua Leung
Raphael Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (May 1984) Nickname: Raph
Weapon of choice: The sai
Bandana: red
Skalman Bamse Friend of the title character
Super-Turtle DC Comics
Terrific Whatzit DC Comics
Timmy-Joe Terrapin/Fastback Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew
Tim Turtle Lionel's Kingdom

In film and television

Character Origin Notes
Crush Finding Nemo A sea turtle who is 150 years old in the film. He has a son named Squirt.
Gamera Daiei Motion Picture Company A giant, flying, fire-breathing turtle.
Giant sea turtle The Bermuda Depths A supernatural sea monster.
Grand Master Oogway Kung Fu Panda An aged giant tortoise, who was the kung fu master of Shifu.
Granny Pearl Pajanimals
Howard Razzle Dazzle
Kamoebas Space Amoeba
The Lion Turtle Avatar: The Last Airbender
Madge It's a Big Big World
Morla The Neverending Story
Pong Pagong Batibot
Shelly Sesame Street A Muppet turtle who appeared on Sesame Street.
Tardy Turtle Greg the Bunny A slow-witted set assistant.
Terraspin Ben 10: Ultimate Alien A turtle-like alien.
Tokka Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Tortoise John Rango Mayor of Dirt, the desert town setting in the film.
Tuck Wonder Pets Tuck is a four-year-old turtle. He is described as sensitive with an emotional connection to living things
Verne Over the Hedge A cynical box turtle and the leader of the animal group.
Venus Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
Lenny Turteltaub Bojack Horseman A turtle who is a Hollywood producer.

In animations

Bert the turtle
Character Origin Notes
Aloysius III Infinity Train The emperor and unifier of the hard and soft-shelled turtles.
Archie The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists An elderly Archelon who helps Littlefoot.
Baby Shelby Mickey Mouse Works / House of Mouse A baby turtle who always annoys and takes advantage of Donald Duck.
Bert the Turtle Duck and Cover A civil defense social guiding film shown to school children in the U.S. in the 1950s/60s to tell them what to do in case of the explosion of a nuclear bomb.
Bev Gilturtle Littlest Pet Shop: A World of Our Own Bev Gilturtle is one of the main characters who is an energetic box turtle.[4] She tries to entertain the other pets as she can and she loves trying out various kinds of activities.
Burt Danger Rangers
Cecil Turtle Merrie Melodies / Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny's nemesis and rival.
Coco Jumbo JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind A turtle with an ability to create a safe-house if a special key is placed on his back. Later hosts the soul of Jean-Pierre Polnareff.
Crwban Chwedlau Tinga Tinga A happy and colourful cartoon turtle on Welsh language channel S4C - voiced by Geraint Iwan.
Dog Taz-Mania Taz's pet dog turtle
Filburt Rocko's Modern Life
Gallop Babar and the Adventures of Badou An elderly turtle who lives in the jungle near Celesteville.
Giant tortoise Polar Bear Cafe
Grandpa Wild Kratts An old, giant Galápagos tortoise. Martin named him that because of how old he is, estimated at 130 years.
Gramps The Rescuers
Hun Turtles Forever Gets mutated into a turtle
Ichikawa Umi Monogatari: Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto
Kame Jiiya Puka Puka Juju
Kongwe The Lion Guard An African spurred tortoise.
Lucky Bionic Max
Sammy A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures A sea turtle who navigates his 50-year life through the changes caused by global warming.
Shelbow The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning A sea turtle who plays the drums (including his shell) in Disney's third The Little Mermaid movie.
Shelly T. Turtle The Shelly T. Turtle Show A yellow turtle who is the titular host of the show.
Slash Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Snappy Sam The Comic Strip (TV series) An anthropomorphic turtle who is the chef and owner of the diner whom "Honeylove" Loretta, of the Street Frogs, works as a waitress and kitchen helper.
Speed The Swan Princess
Tamachan Love Hina A flying turtle.
Tank My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic A tortoise who is Rainbow Dash's pet.
Thelma Tortoise Manga Aesop's Fables
Tippi Turtle Saturday Night Live[5][6] An obnoxious practical joker created by Jack Zander
Toby Tortoise The Tortoise and the Hare
Toby Turtle Robin Hood Skippy's best friend that wears glasses.
Toby the Turtle 64 Zoo Lane A turtle who is friends with Kevin the Crocodile and Doris the Duck.
Toto Harry & Toto
Turner Chucklewood Critters
Turtle Bossy Bear
T.W. Turtle Cats Don't Dance A nervous and superstitious turtle who always relies on fortune cookies.
Tooter Turtle Total Television
Touché Turtle Touché Turtle
Turtle The Red Turtle A sea turtle turned into a human
Turtle People Adventure Time
Turtle Princess Adventure Time A head of a library in the Land of Ooo
Umigame (Turtle) Dragon Ball A sea turtle who is a companion of Master Roshi. He has a son named Umigame Jr. (Turtle, Jr.) English localized name: Turtle
Various turtles Adventure Time
Verne Over the Hedge

In video games

Character Origin Notes
Bentley Sly Cooper The Cooper Gang's technical aid, computer programmer and hacker.
Bowser Super Mario Bros. The main villain of the Super Mario series.
Bowser Jr. Super Mario Sunshine Bowser's son.
Devan Shell Jazz Jackrabbit Nemesis of Jazz
Gerson Undertale An elderly olive green tortoise-monster who runs a vendor in Waterfall.
Ghido Final Fantasy V Ancient turtle who guides Bartz and the Warriors of Light on their quest.
The giant turtle The Legend of Zelda Helps get to Great Bay Temple.
Hammer Bros. Super Mario Bros. Koopas that throw hammers as attack.
Kamek Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Caretaker of Bowser during his childhood. A Magikoopa capable of using various spells.
Koopa Troopa Super Mario Bros. Common enemy creatures in the Super Mario series.
Koopalings Super Mario Bros. 3 Bowser's seven minions. Their individual names are Wendy, Morton, Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Roy, and Ludwig.
Kooper Paper Mario One of Mario's partners. An adventerous Koopa who intends to become an archaeologist.
Koops Paper Mario One of Mario's partners. Compared to his predecessor Kooper, he is more cowardly.
Lakitu Super Mario Bros. One of the enemies in the Super Mario series. Also serves as the referee in spin-offs like Mario Tennis and Mario Kart, although in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe he can be a playable character.
Shen-zin Su World of Warcraft Giant sea turtle and starting zone for the Pandaren race.
Tiptup Banjo Kazooie Appears in Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie and Diddy Kong Racing
Tortimer Animal Crossing The eccentric tortoise mayor of the town.
Valluta RuneScape An ancient tortoise-like creature that is one of the Guardians of Guthix.
Warnado Skylanders A spiky shelled Air-elemental tortoise. One of the playable characters in the series.

As mascots, toys, and others

Character Origin Notes
Mickael the Turtle Mickael the Turtle
Motu Aquatica
Peakaboo, Speedy Beanie Baby
Testudo University of Maryland
Tetter, Totter, and Corky Suzy's Zoo
Frumpy USS Pasadena (SSN-752)

In politics

See also

  • Cultural depictions of turtles and tortoises

References