Greek tortoise

Spur-thighed tortoise
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Testudo
Species:	T. graeca
Binomial name
Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758
Note allopatric ranges of "Maghreb" (T. g. graeca) and "Greek" (T. g. ibera) populations
Synonyms
T. g. graeca Testudo pusilla Linnaeus, 1758 Chersine pusilla Merrem, 1820 Testudo mauritanica Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Testudo mauritonica Kercado, 1835 (ex errore) Testudo whitei Bennett, 1836 Peltastes mauritanicus Gray, 1873 Testudo graeca graeca Mertens, 1946 Testudo gracea Nutaphand, 1979 (ex errore) Testudo whitie Highfield & Martin, 1989 (ex errore) Furculachelys whitei Highfield, 1990 Testudo graeca sarda Ballasina, 1995 (nomen nudum) Testudo graeca whitei Artner, 1996 T. g. anamurensis Testudo graeca anamurensis Weissinger, 1987 Testudo ibera anamurensis Highfield, 1990 Testudo terrestris anamurensis David, 1994 Testudo anamurensis Vetter, 2002 Testudo graeca amurensis Ferri, 2002 (ex errore) T. g. antakyensis Testudo antakyensis Perälä, 1996 Testudo graeca antakyensis Zwartepoorte, 2000 Testudo terrestris antakyensis Bour, 2002 Testudo ibera antakyensis Artner, 2003 T. g. armeniaca Testudo graeca armeniaca Chkhikvadze, 1989 (nomen nudum) Testudo graeca armeniaca Chkhikvadze & Bakradze, 1991 Testudo graeca armaniaca Chkhikvadze & Bakradze, 1991 (ex errore) Testudo armeniaca Vetter, 2002 Testudo terrestris armeniaca Bour, 2002 T. g. buxtoni Testudo ecaudata Pallas, 1814 Testudo buxtoni Boulenger, 1921 Testudo terrestris buxtoni Bour, 2002 Testudo ibera buxtoni Artner, 2003 T. g. cyrenaica Testudo graeca cyrenaica Pieh & Perälä, 2002 Testudo cyrenaica Vetter, 2002 Testudo cyrenaika Stettner, 2004 (ex errore) T. g. floweri Testudo floweri Bodenheimer, 1935 Testudo graeca floweri Mertens, 1946 Testudo terrestris floweri David, 1994 Testudo ibera floweri Artner, 2003 T. g. ibera Testudo ibera Pallas, 1814 Chersus iberus Brandt, 1852 Testudo iberia Blyth, 1853 (ex errore) Medaestia ibera Wussow, 1916 Testudo ibera racovitzai Călinescu, 1931 Testudo graeca ibera Mertens, 1946 Testudo ibera ibera Gmira, 1993 Testudo terrestris ibera David, 1994 T. g. lamberti Testudo graeca lamberti Pieh & Perälä, 2004 Testudo lamberti Perälä, 2004 T. g. marokkensis Testudo graeca marokkensis Pieh & Perälä, 2004 Testudo marokkensis Perälä, 2004 T. g. nabeulensis Testudo flavominimaralis Highfield & Martin, 1989 Furculachelys nabeulensis Highfield, 1990 Testudo nabeulensis Welch, 1994 Testudo graeca flavominimaralis Artner, 1996 Testudo graeca nabeulensis Artner, 1996 T. g. nikolskii Testudo graeca nikolskii Chkhikvadze & Tuniyev, 1986 Testudo ibera nikolskii Highfield, 1990 Testudo terrestris nikolskii David, 1994 Testudo graeca niiolskii Paull, 1997 (ex errore) Testudo nikolskii Vetter, 2002 T. g. pallasi Testudo graeca pallasi Chkhikvadze, 1989 (nomen nudum) Testudo graeca pallasi Chkhikvadze & Bakradze, 2002 Testudo pallasi Danilov & Milto, 2004 T. g. perses Testudo perses Perälä, 2002 Testudo ibera perses Artner, 2003 T. g. soussensis Testudo graeca soussensis Pieh, 2001 Testudo soussensis Vetter, 2002 T. g. terrestris Testudo terrestris Forsskål, 1775 Testudo zolhafa Forsskål, 1831 (nomen nudum) Testudo zolkafa Forsskål, 1831 (nomen nudum) Testudo zohalfa Forsskål, 1835 (nomen nudum) Testudo graeca terrestris Wermuth, 1958 Testudo terrestris terrestris David, 1994 Testudo ibera terrestris Artner, 2003 T. g. zarudnyi Testudo zarudnyi Nikolsky, 1896 Testudo graeca zarudnyi Mertens, 1946 Testudo ibera zarudnyi Gmira, 1993 Testudo terrestris zarudnyi David, 1994

The spur-thighed tortoise (or Greek tortoise) (Testudo graeca) is one of five species of Mediterranean tortoise (genus Testudo, family Testudinidae). The other four species are the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii), Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni), and marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata). The spur-thighed tortoise is a very long lived animal, achieving a lifespan of upwards of 125 years, with some unverified reports of up to 200 years.

The spur-thighed tortoise's habitat is North Africa, southern Europe, and southwest Asia. It is prevalent in the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus (from Russia Anapa to Abkhazia Sukhumi to the south), as well as in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) is often confused with Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni). However, notable differences enable them to be distinguished.

The division of spur-thighed tortoises into subspecies is difficult and confusing. Given the huge range over three continents, the various terrains, climates, and biotopes have produced a huge number of varieties, with new subspecies constantly being discovered. Currently, at least 20 subspecies are published:

This incomplete listing shows the problems in division into subspecies. The differences in form are primarily in size and weight, as well as coloration, which ranges from dark brown to bright yellow, and the types of flecks, ranging from solid colors to many spots. Also, the bending-up of the edges of the carapace ranges from minimal to pronounced. So as not to become lost in the number of subspecies, recently a few tortoises previously classified as Testudo graeca have been assigned to different species, or even different genera.

The genetic richness of Testudo graeca is also shown in their crossbreeding. Tortoises of different form groups often mate, producing offspring with widely differing shapes and color. Perhaps the best means of identification for the future is simply the place of origin.

The smallest, and perhaps the prettiest, of the subspecies is the Tunisian spur-thighed tortoise. It has a particularly bright and striking coloration. However, these are also the most sensitive tortoises of the species, so they cannot be kept outdoors in temperate climates, as cold and rainy summers quickly cause the animals to become ill. They are also incapable of long hibernation.

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Wikipedia