Speke's hinge-back tortoise

Speke's hinge-back tortoise
File:Kinixys spekii.jpg
Conservation status
Not listed
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Kinixys
Species:	K. spekii
Binomial name
Kinixys spekii Gray, 1863e
Synonyms
Kinixys spekii Gray, 1863 Cinixys spekii Boulenger, 1889 Homopus darlingi Boulenger, 1902 Testudo procterae Loveridge, 1923 Kinixys australis Hewitt, 1931 Kinixys darlingi Hewitt, 1931 Kinixys jordani Hewitt, 1931 Kinixys youngi Hewitt, 1931 Kinixys australis mababiensis FitzSimons, 1932 Kinixys australis australis Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Kinixys belliana spekei Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 (ex errore) Malacochersus procterae Mertens, Müller & Rust, 1934 Kinixys belliana australis Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Kinixys belliana darlingi Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Kinixys belliana mababiensis Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Kinixys belliana spekii Mertens & Wermuth, 1955

The Speke's hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys spekii), is a species of turtle in the Testudinidae family. It is found in Africa.

Description

This tortoise has an elongated carapace, up to 20 cm in length, which is distinctly flattened (allowing it to seek refuge in rock crevices and under logs). Its carapace has a weak, disrupted medial keel, and posterior marginals that are neither strongly serrated nor reverted. This species has a well-developed hinge at the rear end of the upper part of its shell, permitting the protection of its rear legs after they have been retracted. The male has a notably longer tail than the female of this species, and the tails end in a spine. Females possess a flat plastron, yet males have a more concave one.

Range and habitat

The Speke's hinge-back tortoise is found in East Africa from Kenya south to Swaziland, next to Mozambique and Zululand. Its range extends westwards as far as the coast of Angola.

It inhabits savannahs and dry bush with rocky areas. It tends to inhabit more wooded areas during the dry season, and to move out into the savannahs when the summer rains come.

It feeds on small flowers, leaves, grass, herbs, succulents and fungi. It also eats snails and other small invertebrates, having a special preference for millipedes.

Females lay a small clutch of two to four eggs in the summer.

Parasites of hinge-back tortoises

Naturally Kinixys species tortoises play host to a number of ectoparasites (external) and endoparasites (internal) A survey (by Alan Probert & Clive Humphreys) of mixed captive K spekii and K belliana (mostly K spekii) in Zimbabwe showed that the following parasites were known to infest/infect this species. This had been observed and published by others too. However some of the tiny roundworms (photographed under SEM) are very likely new species and as yet remain undiscribed. Ticks (Arachnida) - Roundworms (Nematoda)- Angusticium, Atractis and Tachygontria

Further reading

• Photo of Kinixys spekii