Indian star tortoise

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Indian star tortoise
Indian star tortoise

Indian star tortoise

Systematics
Order : Turtles (Testudinata)
Subordination : Halsberger tortoises (Cryptodira)
Family : Tortoises (Testudinidae)
Subfamily : Testudininae
Genre : Geochelone
Type : Indian star tortoise
Scientific name
Geochelone elegans
( Schoepff , 1795)

The Indian star tortoise ( Geochelone elegans ) is a monotypical species from the tortoise family . Its distribution area includes Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.

Appearance

The Indian star tortoise reaches a carapace length of up to 38 centimeters and a weight of up to 7 kilograms. Their back armor is rather longer and strongly bulged. The individual vortex and rib shields also show a strong bulge. In the middle of the shields there is a light spot from which up to eight yellow stripes lead to the edge. This eye-catching drawing gave the name star tortoise. The belly armor has a similar pattern.

The forelegs are yellowish. The head and the rear extremities are black on a yellow background. Males can be recognized by their longer and thicker tails.

So far, no subspecies have been described for this turtle species. However, there are differences in shell color and size between Indian star tortoises that come from eastern Pakistan and western India, and those that are native to southeastern India. The western population reaches a greater length of carapace. The animals from Southeast India, on the other hand, remain smaller. Like the turtles native to Sri Lanka, they have a brighter shell color.

Distribution area and habitat

The Indian star tortoise occurs from Pakistan over the central area and the south of India to Sri Lanka. It uses very different habitats within this very large distribution area. In Sri Lanka, their habitat includes sand dunes as well as bush forests and overgrown parks. In India, it can also be found in badlands and desert-like areas. Most of the sites are at a height below 200 NN.

The Indian star tortoise is a diurnal species of tortoise. It is most active during the monsoon season, when it is foraging all day. In the dry season, it can be seen mainly in the early morning and late afternoon. During the hot time of the day, she takes shelter under bushes and bushes. Due to its light and dark colored shell, it is difficult to spot in dry grass or bushes.

The Indian star tortoise mainly lives on vegetable food. These include grass and dry grass (high fiber content in natural food), fruits lying on the ground, and flowers. She also eats animal food occasionally.

Reproduction

The breeding season coincides with the monsoon season in the Indian range. The females lay several clutches that initially have between five and nine eggs. Towards the end of the breeding season, the nesting pits often only contain one to four eggs. The hatching time of the young depends on the ambient temperature and the season. It is between 86 and 150 days.

Keeping as a terrarium animal

Because of its eye-catching and attractive shell, the Indian star tortoise was still one of the animals kept relatively often in captivity in the 1970s and 1980s. At the beginning of the 1970s, around 10,000 animals were traded annually in the Calcutta market alone. With the entry into force of the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972, at least the legal trade was stopped. The species is now listed in Appendix II of the CITES agreement. Basically, the Indian radiated tortoise is one of those demanding pets who need high humidity. Incorrectly kept star tortoises die early from respiratory diseases.

proof

Individual evidence

  1. a b Indraneil Das: The Turtles of the Indian Subcontinent , Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main 2001, ISBN 3-930612-35-6 , p. 59
  2. Manfred Rogner: Tortoises - Biology, Keeping, Multiplication , Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8001-5440-1 , p. 83
  3. Indraneil Das: Die Schildkröten des Indian Subcontinent , Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 2001, ISBN 3-930612-35-6 , p. 60
  4. Reiner Praschag: tortoises , Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2002. ISBN 3-8001-3546-9
  5. a b page about the Indian star tortoise - English ( Memento of the original from May 23, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.reptilesweb.com
  6. Manfred Rogner: Tortoises - Biology, Keeping, Multiplication , Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8001-5440-1 , p. 83
  7. Indraneil Das: Die Schildkröten des Indian Subcontinent , Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 2001, ISBN 3-930612-35-6 , p. 61

literature

  • Indraneil Das: The turtles of the Indian subcontinent , Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 2001, ISBN 3-930612-35-6
  • Reiner Praschag: tortoises , Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2002. ISBN 3-8001-3546-9
  • Manfred Rogner: Turtles - Biology, Keeping, Multiplication , Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8001-5440-1

Web links

Commons : Geochelone elegans  - Collection of images, videos and audio files