A Preliminary Survey of Testudo graeca Linnaeus 1758 Specimens from Central Anatolia, Turkey

Authors: OĞUZ TÜRKOZAN, KURTULUŞ OLGUN, JOHN WILKINSON, LEIGH GILLETT, JOHN SPENCE

Abstract: Sixteen specimens of Testudo graeca Linnaeus 1758 from 2 adjacent localities (Meke and Acıgöl) in Central Anatolia were measured. Morphological characters standardised for straight carapace length (SCL) were compared with original raw values from Testudo populations from Aegean and south-eastern Turkey. The post-ANOVA pairwise analysis (Tukey's) across all groups verified sexual dimorphism in the Central Anatolian populations in terms of anal suture length (P < 0.05) and plastron width 2 (P < 0.05). Discriminant analysis based on standardised values provided 89.3% and 92.6% correct classification among males and females, respectively. The difference was clearer between the Aegean and Central Anatolian populations, with a more domed carapace (CH) in the males and shorter plastron length (PL) and plastron width 2 (PW2) in the females of the Aegean population in comparison with the Central Anatolian population.

Keywords: Testudines, Testudinidae, Testudo graeca, tortoise, Central Anatolia, Turkey

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