Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca) Familie: Tortoises (Testudinidae) Orden: Turtles (Testudines).

Other names:  Moorish Tortoise. The name Greek Tortoise has also been used for this species but should be restricted to Testudo hermanni to prevent confusion between the two species. Size:  Up to 36 cm. Distribution:  North Africa, southern Europe and the Middle East, east to Iran and Turkmenistan. In Europe limited to the southwest and southern Spain, but the species has been introduced to France, Italy (incl. Sardinia and Sicily) as well as the Canarian Islands. References: Fritz, U. (ed.). 2001. Handbuch der Retilien und Amphibien Europas. Band 3/IIIA. Schildkröten (Testudines) I (Bataguridae, Testudinidae, Emydidae). AULA-Verlag, Wiebelsheim. 594 pp. Pieh, A. & Perälä, J. 2002. Variabilität von Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 im östlichen Nordafrika mit Beschreibung eines neuen Taxons von der Cyrenaika (Nordostlibyen). Herpetozoa 15(1/2): 3-28. Text & layout: Rune Midtgaard

Gallery Home Spur-thighed Tortoise, juvenile. © Rune Midtgaard.