Mario Herz Pawlowski, S.
Mario Herz Pawlowski, S. (2008): Husbandry Conditions of Aldabra Giant Tortoises Dipsochelys dussumieri (Gray, 1831), in the Central Islands of the Seychelles. – Radiata (English edition), Lingenfeld, 17 (4): 19–32. ––– (2009): Die Aldabra-Riesenschildkröten Dipsochelys dussumieri (Gray, 1831) von Curieuse Island, Seychellen. – Testudo, Bubendorf, 18 (1): 5–17. ––– & C. Krämer (2010): A Visit to the NPTS Tortoise and Terrapin Breeding Station on Silhouette, Seychelles. – Radiata (English edition), Lingenfeld, 19 (3): 12–22. Peters, U. W. & E. P. Finnie (1979): First breeding of the Aldabra tortoise Geochelone gigantea at Sydney Zoo. – Int. Zoo Yearbook, London, 19 (1): 53–55. Petzold, H.-G. (1984): Aufgaben und Probleme bei der Erforschung der Lebensäußerungen der niederen Amnioten (Reptilien). – Berlin (Verlag für Biologie und Natur), 786 pp. Stearns, B. C. (1988): Captive Husbandry and propagation of the Aldabra giant tortoise Geochelone gigantea at the Institut for Herpetological Research. – Int. Zoo Yearbook, London, 27 (1): 98–103. Terahara, M. & S. Moriyama (1998): Breeding the Aldabra giant tortoise. – Animals and Zoos, 12: 404–407. Tingay, P. (1998): Seychellen. Reiseführer & Reisekarte. – Köln (Könemann Verlag), 128 pp. Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (van Dijk, P. P., J. B. Iverson, H. B. Shaffer, R. Bour & A.G.J. Rhodin) (2012): Turtles of the world, 2012 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R. A. Saumure, K. A. Buhlmann, J. B. Iverson & R. A. Mittermeier (Hrsg.): Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. – Chel. Res. Monogr., Lunenburg, 5, S. 000.243–000.328, doi:10.3854/ crm.5.000.checklist.v5.2012, www.iucn– tftsg.org/cbftt/. Velensky, P. & N. Velensky (2006): Haltung und Pflege der Aldabra-Riesenschildkröte (Dipsochelys dussumieri) im Zoo Prag. – Marginata, Münster, 3 (4): 24–30. Author & Photographs Mario Herz Postfach 700431 10324 Berlin Germany E-mail: marginata1@freenet.de SALAMANDRA - the broadly based herpetological journal of the German Society for Herpetology and Herpetoculture. It publishes the results of original research in all fields of herpetology, including systematics, faunistics, ethology, ecology, physiology, conservation biology and captive breeding. www.salamandra-journal.de 20 RADIATA 22 (4), 2013
Robert Humair Dimensions and Weights of South American Yellowfooted Tortoises, Chelonoidis denticulata (Linnaeus, 1766), in Nature and Human Care Introduction With the present paper, I report on the dimensions and weights of 180 South American Yellow-footed Tortoises, Chelonoidis denticulata, comparing between the sexes ratios between carapace width and length, shell height and carapace length, waist circumference and carapace length, as well as body mass indices (BMI) and Jackson Graph values. Growth data in dimension and weight recorded from the tortoises in my care are then compared to values taken from specimens living in the wild. The contribution is based upon comprehensive, rarely published data on weight and growth collected over an extended period of time (15 years). Material Considering that hardly any detailed data have to-date been published on the growth of South American Yellow-footed Tortoises, I collected data from a total of 89 female and 91 male Chelonoidis denticulata. The following tables provide an overview of the material used. Fig. 1. Adult Chelonoidis denticulata. Survey No. Number of females examined (n = 89) Average weight (kg) Average carapace length (mm) Average carapace width (mm) Average plastron length (mm) Average plastron width (mm) Average shell height (mm) Circumference of shell in the posterior part of the shell (mm) 1 15 - 361.1 - 328.6 232.0 165.1 - - 2 8 4.51 377.5 339.5 277.0 223.9 - - - 3 3 6.90 418.0 388.0 295.0 236.0 - - - 4 14 6.25 428.4 396.7 298.7 244.4 - - - 5 30 6.09 420.8 412.4 299.6 222.3 - - - Circumference of the shell at the level of the waist (mm) 6 19 4.42 310.3 - - - - 368.3 554.4 Total average 5.55 384.4 396.5 302.8 229.6 165.1 368.3 554.4 Tab. 1. Overview of average dimensions and weights of all females examined; weights are rounded to two decimal places. RADIATA 22 (4), 2013 21
