Chelonia
Chelonia (ke*lō"ni*ȧ) , noun, plural
[New Latin, from Greek chelw`nh a tortoise.]
(Zoology) An order of reptiles, including the tortoises and turtles, peculiar in having a part of the vertebra, ribs, and sternum united with the dermal plates so as to form a firm shell. The jaws are covered by a horny beak. See Reptilia; also, Illust. in Appendix.