Tortoiseshell

carapace, hard shell which surrounds a tortoise

Tortoiseshell can refer to:tortoiseshell material, made primarily from the shell of the Hawksbill turtlea Tortoiseshell cata pattern used in clothing and jewellerythe Small Tortoiseshell, a butterfly"Tortoiseshell", a song by The Boo Radleys which appeared on their EP Every Heaven
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Noun
1. the mottled horny substance of the shell of some turtles
(hypernym) horn
2. brilliantly colored; larvae feed on nettles
(synonym) tortoiseshell butterfly
(hypernym) nymphalid, nymphalid butterfly, brush-footed butterfly, four-footed butterfly
(member-holonym) Nymphalis, genus Nymphalis
3. a cat having black and cream and yellowish markings
(synonym) tortoiseshell-cat, calico cat
(hypernym) domestic cat, house cat, Felis domesticus, Felis catus

A popular material for 19th century jewelry and haircombs, tortoiseshell was banned and is no longer used for these items. There are very close plastic imitations of tortoiseshell. One technique to differentiate tortoise from its imitators is to touch the surface with a hot pinpoint. Tortoise will give off a smell like burning hair, while plastic will emit and acrid, chemical odor.

A coat pattern typically marked by both black and red fur in deep coats or blue and cream fur in dilute coats.