Tortoiseshell
Mottled, flexible, brownish material made from the shells of turtles / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For the shells of turtles, see Turtle shell. For other uses, see Tortoiseshell (disambiguation).
Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill sea turtle, which is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List largely because of its exploitation for this trade. The large size, fine color, and unusual form of the hawksbill's scutes make it especially suitable. The distinctive patterning is referred to in names such as the tortoiseshell cat, several breeds of guinea pig, and the common names of several species of the butterfly genera Nymphalis and Aglais, and some other uses.