Greek Tortoise
Testudo graeca
The spur-thighed tortoise (or Greek tortoise) (Testudo graeca) is one of the 5 species of Mediterranean tortoise (genus Testudo and Agrionemys, family Testudinidae). The other four species are the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), Russian tortoise (Agrionemys 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.
From the article Greek tortoise on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) is often confused with Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni). However, notable differences enable them to be distinguished.
Wikipedia: “Characteristics”
Range & habitat
The geographic distribution of the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) includes North Africa, Southern Europe, and Southwest Asia. It is commonly found along the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, extending from Anapa, Russia, to Sukhumi, Abkhazia, Georgia. Additional populations are present in parts of Georgia, Armenia, Iran, and Azerbaijan.
Wikipedia: “Geographic range”
What it does
In captivity, Greek tortoises (Testudo graeca) commonly consume a variety of leafy greens, with a particular preference for dandelion leaves and similar vegetation. While they may readily eat lettuce, it is generally not recommended as a staple food, because it lacks the essential nutrients required to support their long-term health and survival.
Wikipedia: “Diet”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Testudo graeca in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 40023.