Psammobates tentorius

Tent tortoise
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Psammobates
Species:	P. tentorius
Binomial name
Psammobates tentorius (Kuhl, 1820)
Synonyms
P. t. tentorius  Testudo tentoria Bell, 1828 Peltastes tentorius Gray, 1870 Chersinella tentoria albanica Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria duerdeni Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria karuella Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria karuica Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria lativittata Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria piscatella Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria subsulcata Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella tentoria tentorioides Hewitt, 1933 Psammobates tentoria albanica Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates tentoria duerdeni Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates tentoria piscatella Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates [tentoria] tentoria Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates tentoria tentorioides Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates tentoria karruica FitzSimons, 1946 (ex errore) Psammobates tentorius tentorius Loveridge & Williams, 1957 Testudo tentoria tentoria Wermuth & Mertens, 1961 P. t. trimeni  Testudo trimeni Boulenger, 1886 Chersinella tentoria hexensis Hewitt, 1933 Chersinella trimeni Hewitt, 1933 Psammobates trimeni Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates tentorius trimeni Loveridge & Williams, 1957 Testudo tentoria trimeni Wermuth & Mertens, 1961 Psammobates tentoria trimeni Obst, 1985 P. t. verroxii  Testudo verroxii Smith, 1839 Peltastes verreauxii Gray, 1870 Peltastes verroxii Gray, 1870 Testudo verreauxii Rochebrune, 1884 Testudo fiski Boulenger, 1886 Testudo smithi Boulenger, 1886 Testudo fiskii Boulenger, 1889 (ex errore) Testudo smithii Boulenger, 1889 (ex errore) Testudo seimundi Boulenger, 1903 Testudo boettgeri Siebenrock, 1904 Homopus bergeri Lindholm, 1906 Testudo bergeri Siebenrock, 1909 Testudo oscarboettgeri Lindholm, 1929 Chersinella fiski colesbergensis Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella fiski cronwrighti Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella [fiski] fiski Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella fiski grica Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella fiski gricoides Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella fiski orangensis Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella fiski seimundi Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella schonlandi Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella verroxii amasensis Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella verroxii bergeri Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella verroxii boettgeri Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella verroxii smithi Hewitt, 1934 Chersinella [verroxii] verroxii Hewitt, 1934 Testudo verroxi Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 (ex errore) Chersinella boettgeri FitzSimons, 1935 Chersinella fiskii FitzSimons, 1935 Psammobates fiski colesbergensis Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates fiski cronwrighti Hewitt, 1937 Psammobates depressa FitzSimons, 1938 Psammobates fiskii FitzSimons, 1938 Psammobates fiskii fiskii FitzSimons, 1946 Testudo smithi bergeri Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Testudo smithi smithi Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Testudo verroxii bergeri Mertens, 1955 Testudo verroxii smithi Mertens, 1955 Psammobates tentorius verroxii Loveridge & Williams, 1957 Chersinella schoenlandi Villiers, 1958 (ex errore) Psammobates verrauxi Villiers, 1958 (ex errore) Testudo tentoria verroxii Wermuth & Mertens, 1961 Psammobates tentorius verroxi Pritchard, 1979 Psammobates tentoria verroxi Obst, 1985 Testudo tentorius verroxii Branch, 1989 Psammobates tentorius veroxi Highfield, 1996 (ex errore)

The tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) is a species of tortoise and one of three members of the genus, Psammobates. Known locally as the Karoo tent tortoise, this highly variable species is found in the Karoo and semi-desert regions of Southern Africa.

The Karoo tent tortoise occurs at very low densities throughout the Karoo and other semi-desert areas of southern Africa, extending from central Namibia almost to the southern coast of South Africa.

Within this range, its population is very sparse and individuals are normally rare and widely separated. The species is also increasingly rare due to habitat destruction and illegal collecting for the pet trade. Due to its specific diet of certain Karoo plants, this species rarely survives in captivity and usually soon dies when taken outside of its natural habitat.

The Karoo tent tortoise is a very variable species, with at least three subspecies. Its shell is dark brown or black with a pattern of yellow or orange striped stars radiating from the centre of each domed shield making up the carapace. The tent tortoise has a beautiful geometric pattern of' Bedouin tents' on its upper shell, and this is appropriate, for it is quite at home in the semidesert. The colouring and size of this little tortoise vary greatly, particularly from one area to another but also within a single 'population'. Occasional specimens are a uniform brown, though this is very rare. Male specimens are much smaller than the females, and have concave bellies.

Although this species shares much of its superficial outer appearance with its relatives in the genus Psammobates, it can easily be distinguished by its un-serrated shell margins, and the scutes along its shell bridge, which are broader than they are high.

Three subspecies are recognised by biologists:

The female tent tortoise lays a clutch of one to three eggs, and buries them in the sand as all other tortoises do. The young emerge in late summer or early autumn.

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Wikipedia