Marginated tortoise

Marginated tortoise
Sardinian marginated tortoise Testudo marginata sarda
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Testudo
Species:	T. marginata
Binomial name
Testudo marginata Schoepf, 1789
Subspecies
Testudo marginata marginata Schoepf, 1789 (Greek marginated tortoise) Testudo marginata sarda Mayer, 1992 (Sardinian marginated tortoise) but see text
Synonyms
Testudo marginata Schoepff, 1793 Testudo graja Hermann, 1793 Chersine marginata Merrem, 1820 Chersus marginatus Wagler, 1830 Testudo campanulata Gray, 1831 (nomen nudum) Testudo graji Gray, 1831 (ex errore) Testudo campanulata Strauch, 1862 Peltastes marginatus Gray, 1869 Peltastes marginata Gray, 1872 Testudo nemoralis Schreiber, 1875 Testudo marginata sarda Mayer, 1992 Testudo marginata weissingeri Trutnau, 1994 Testudo weissingeri Bour, 1996 Testudo marginata marginata Rogner, 1996

but see text

The marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) is a species of tortoise found in Greece, Italy and the Balkans in southern Europe. It is the largest European tortoise, reaching a weight of up to 5 kg (11 lb) and a length of 35 cm (14 in). Its shell is oblong and has a notable thickness around the middle of the body. The posterior end of the shell has a saw-like formation, flanged outward like a bell. The carapaces of adult specimens are almost completely black, with yellow highlights. The front sides of the limbs are covered with large scales. The tail is notable for a lengthwise marking and for an undivided carapace over the tail. The marginated tortoise is herbivorous, and hibernates for the winter.

The marginated tortoise was formally described by German naturalist Johann David Schoepf in 1789; its specific epithet marginata is a straightforward derivation from the Latin term for 'marginated'.

The nominate subspecies is the Greek marginated tortoise, Testudo marginata marginata. Three additional subspecies of marginated tortoises have been named:

The Sardinian marginated tortoise (T. m. sarda) is the name usually used to separate the population on the island of Sardinia. These tortoises have less strongly bent tiles in the posterior of their carapaces, and the posterior of the carapace is almost smooth compared with the saw-like T. m. marginata. Clearly distinct according to morphology and entirely allopatric, it cannot be distinguished by mtDNA and nDNA ISSR sequence analysis.Lineage sorting has not occurred to a considerable degree; consequently, the more geographically isolated Sardinian population is presumably of quite recent origin.

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