Have a Zagros Mountain Greek. I was told she was testudo graeca buxtoni. I rarely see posts on this species and have a hard time finding species specific information via the web. Anybody moments are greatly appreciated!
Tim/Robin said:Yes it is uncommon!!! Actually very uncommon, and yes I guarantee it is what he says it is!!! I don't know of anyone else that is producing them. Again, there may be some out there but just calling them T graeca.
FYI, the female is going crazy this year. I have 6 hatched so far with more incubating. They are the cutest things ever!!!
GeoTerraTestudo said:BTW - Some authorities consider the Greek tortoises of the Zagros Mountains to be a population of T. graeca ibera, which is readily available.
Tim/Robin said:Testudo graeca buxtoni is a widely accepted and acknowledged subspecies.
Tim/Robin said:Who?? References please.
Testudo graeca buxtoni is a widely accepted and acknowledged subspecies. There was talk originally of the tortoises coming from the Zagros mountain region to be a subspecies of their own, Testudo graeca perses, but the DNA did not show a difference to create another subspecies. I can tell you, they are nothing like an Ibera!!
These are the same adults. I got the pair from Danny!!! http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-1946.html
Here are the adults, http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-47876.html
GeoTerraTestudo said:Tim/Robin said:Who?? References please.
Sure thing. Here's a scientific article by Iranian scientists Sadeghi and Torki (2012), where they refer to the tortoises of the Zagros Mountains as T. graeca ibera
However, it also concluded that T. graeca ibera and T. graeca buxtoni were in different clades, and therefore belonged in different subspecies, as they are now.
I'm still curious, though, as to how different they are when you observe them. Please enlighten me.
theTurtleRoom said:http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v5_2012.pdf
This is the most current version of taxonomy as released by the Turtle Taxonomy Working Group. The list of the Testudo graeca taxonomy begins on page 000.282 with some notes on these issues written on page 000.302-303.
Previous versions of taxonomy follow, in case you wish to follow the changes over the last 5 years and their notes on such:
http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v4_2011.pdf (Notes on page 000.218)
http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v3_2010.pdf (Notes on page 000.140 - specifically on buxtoni)
http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v2_2009.pdf (Notes on page 000.064)
http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v1_2008.pdf (No specific notes on Testudo graeca)
http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Articles/Turtle_Taxonomy_Working_Group_2007b.pdf (Notes on pages 184-185)
theTurtleRoom said:http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v5_2012.pdf
This is the most current version of taxonomy as released by the Turtle Taxonomy Working Group. The list of the Testudo graeca taxonomy begins on page 000.282 with some notes on these issues written on page 000.302-303.
GeoTerraTestudo said:I see. Well, they certainly are handsome!
How about their care and keeping? Are T. graeca buxtoni as tolerant of cold and dry enviroments as other northern Testudo species and subspecies? Do they brumate?
Tim/Robin said:Here are this years hatchlings!!!