The Herpetological Bulletin
The Herpetological Bulletin is a quarterly publication in English. It includes full-length papers, natural history notes, book reviews, and other items of general herpetological interest. Emphasis is placed on natural history and conservation as well as captive care that includes breeding, husbandry, veterinary, and behavioural aspects.
02. Sexual dimorphism and habitat preferences in the marginated tortoise Testudo marginata from western Greece
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https://doi.org/10.33256/hb177.1317
AUTHORS: ELIAS TZORAS, DIONYSIOS MAMASIS & DANIEL ESCORIZA
ABSTRACT: The marginated tortoise Testudo marginata, native to the southern Balkans, is the largest Testudo species and shows limited sexual dimorphism. We analysed the morphological variation of 295 tortoises of a single population from the Achelous Delta (western Greece), focusing on body size, Sexual Dimorphism Index (SDI) and the Scaled Mass Index (SMI). Males were slightly larger (mean straight carapace length 27.4 cm) and heavier (mean weight 2,932 g) than females (26.0 cm, 2,627 g), with an SDI value of -0.051 indicating that males are larger than females by 5.1%. However, the largest individual was a female (38 cm straight carapace length) and the SMI was similar for males (4.74) and females (4.79). The species preferred open habitats with low forest cover, and although both sexes used areas with high herbaceous cover, males occupied more shrub-rich plots while females used more sparsely vegetated habitats.
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