Robert Humair
Robert Humair Free-ranging males Males in my care Fig. 4. Comparison of free-ranging male South American Yellow-footed Tortoises with specimens in my care; vertical = weight (kg), horizontal = length (mm). I was not in a position to identify the ages of the tortoises examined for which reason this important parameter cannot be taken into consideration here. I observed that the Yellow-footed Tortoises in my care were a little heavier than their free-ranging counterparts. This is probably due to the fact that my specimens need to expend much less energy on finding food. The exception is a male in my care that measures 545 mm in carapace length, whose continued sexually-motivated activity renders him comparable in weight to males of about equal size in nature. Fig. 4. Mating in Chelonoidis denticulata. Growth and weight gains of the South American Yellow-footed Tortoises in my care Data on dimensions and weights of some of the South American Yellow-footed Tortoises in my care were recorded at irregular intervals. Fig. 5. A female during oviposition. 26 RADIATA 22 (4), 2013
South American Yellow-footed Tortoise, Chelonoidis denticulata Date Weight (kg) measured along the curvature of the shell Carapace length (mm) measured in a straight line Circumference at the waist (mm) 13. Jan. 1995 4.53 372 270 560 14. Jan. 1996 > 5.44 - - - 05. Nov. 1996 > 4.99 387 283 - 07. Mar. 1997 > 5.44 385 331 592 22. Sep. 1998 > 5.44 - 325 597 25. May 1999 4.54 385 335 595 17. Dec. 1999 5.44 387 335 596 05. Jan. 2001 6.35 422 338 645 22. Apr. 2002 > 8.16 448 355 690 (?) 05. Aug. 2005 > 8.16 435 382 670 27. Dec. 2006 - 475 (?) - 738 (?) 20. Jul. 2007 9.52 450 400 690 02. Aug. 2009 9.98 445 410 799 (?) Tab. 5. Biometric data of my first Chelonoidis denticulata (specimen No. 2, a female); weights are rounded to two decimal places. The specimen was received as an adult. It almost doubled its weight after receipt, while its carapace length increased only by 140 mm during this fourteen-year period. Date Weight (kg) measured along the curvature of the shell Carapace length (mm) measured in a straight line Circumference at the waist (mm) 13. Jan. 1995 1.50 254 184 394 14. Jan. 1996 1.94 - - - 05. Nov. 1996 2.04 281 204 - 07. Mar. 1997 > 1.81 290 164 446 22. Sep. 1998 2.72 - 257 477 25. May 1999 > 2.72 330 268 490 17. Dec. 1999 > 3.63 354 286 520 05. Jan. 2001 4.99 392 310 570 (?) 22. Apr. 2002 5.90 388 335 530 05. Aug. 2005 4.54 (?) 388 295 (?) 530 27. Dec. 2006 - 410 - 565 20. Jul. 2007 6.35 400 350 620 02. Aug. 2009 7.20 405 360 630 Tab. 6. Biometric data of another female (specimen No. 5); weights are rounded to two decimal places. RADIATA 22 (4), 2013 27
