What is the species of my tortoise?
- Thread starter Rex 101
- Start date
- Status
Hi! Could we see some pictures of it's upper shel[/color]l and the face/neck too is often useful.
Hermann's tortoise. Male.
Where are you?
His forelimbs are awesome, by the way. If no one comes looking for him and you end up not being able to find the owner, consider keeping him. As a singular tortoise pet, it is hard to do better in terms of hardiness/adaptability and "personality".
Where are you?
His forelimbs are awesome, by the way. If no one comes looking for him and you end up not being able to find the owner, consider keeping him. As a singular tortoise pet, it is hard to do better in terms of hardiness/adaptability and "personality".
One of the various T. graeca subspecies (note the spurs on each side of the base of his tail), but Baoh is correct about it's gender. Definitely a male.
Where'd you find him?
Where'd you find him?
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 3,617
- Location (City and/or State)
- The Catskill Mountains of New York State
100% Eastern Hermann's, Testudo hermanni boettgeri male. No doubt.
GBtortoises said:
What about the spurs on each side of his tail?
Might he be a hybrid?
Terry Allan Hall said:
They sometimes have them.
Not likely a hybrid. Looks all Hermann's.
guille24 said:
This is a seriously nice tortoise. If someone lost it, they will probably be missing it.
What a gorgeous boy! I hope you get to keep him. Btw, it's very good of you to research and find out how to care for him until someone claims him. Looks as though he's been well cared for: smooth shell, good size and weight.
May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)
May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 3,617
- Location (City and/or State)
- The Catskill Mountains of New York State
"Spurs" are simply pronounced tubercle scales. They are common in several species of tortoises, mainly Testudo, as well as varying degrees of prominence in individuals of a species. Even the "Spur-thigh" tortoise group, the Greeks, have varying degrees of tubercle scales based on subspecies, population and individual. Some Greek tortoises have no "spurs" at all. It's actually a very unreliable identification feature and should really only be checked off in conjunction with the other more definite identifying features of a given tortoise species.
This particular tortoise is very much a "textbook" Eastern with it's body size & shape, head shape, patterns, coloration, scute seam configurations and hard tipped tail being all definite Testudo hermanni boettgeri. He looks to be an older male, either wild caught or if captive born (doubtful) has spent his life completely outdoors.
This particular tortoise is very much a "textbook" Eastern with it's body size & shape, head shape, patterns, coloration, scute seam configurations and hard tipped tail being all definite Testudo hermanni boettgeri. He looks to be an older male, either wild caught or if captive born (doubtful) has spent his life completely outdoors.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2007
- Messages
- 2,125
Agree with Gary. 100% Eastern Hermann's (T. h. boettgeri). A big old boy too! [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]
The spurs are a throw off but he's right, many species can have raised thigh tubercles and it's more common in older specimens. If you look at my site www.hermannihaven.com and view my Sicilian Tortoise page under "Our Tortoises" you will find that thigh spurs are a classic trait of T. h. hermanni found in this region.
The spurs are a throw off but he's right, many species can have raised thigh tubercles and it's more common in older specimens. If you look at my site www.hermannihaven.com and view my Sicilian Tortoise page under "Our Tortoises" you will find that thigh spurs are a classic trait of T. h. hermanni found in this region.
HermanniChris said:
I read somewhere, quite a few years ago, that some herpetologists theorize that the presence of thigh spurs on Hermannis could be the result of Graeca interbreeding in the past, and that they've "inbred" over time to be a characteristic in some localized populations.
Don't recall the herpetologist's name who wrote the paper, but I believe is was originally published in a German magazine.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2007
- Messages
- 2,125
You're correct. It was further investigated and DNA results proved that the hermanni of Sicily were in fact not mixed and that this is a trait unique to this locality. However, just like in the eastern pictured in this thread, spurs can be found on many individuals almost anywhere. I have a Calabrian female with a spur on only one side. She's the only one in the entire group with it.
Actually I forgot to mention, some years ago I had an old marginatedtortoise who had HUGE spurs on her thighs. I mean these things looked like what I see on my Manouria tortoises. I wish I had taken photos.
Actually I forgot to mention, some years ago I had an old marginatedtortoise who had HUGE spurs on her thighs. I mean these things looked like what I see on my Manouria tortoises. I wish I had taken photos.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,331
Your desert tortoise is a male
Oh I'm sorry you mean species wise?
Oh I'm sorry you mean species wise?
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,331
Not my area of expertise. Post it on the north American tortoise page. It's not a Texas tortoise for sure.
When dealing with this tortoise, it's Greek to me.
The tort looks like a gopher tortoise. I have seen very similar ones in Florida.
Irish said:
The tort looks like a gopher tortoise. I have seen very similar ones in Florida.
- Status
Similar threads
