Radiata2014(1)e

Ron Scheffel männlich

Ron Scheffel männlich weiblich Schild meist runder biberschwanzförmig. Schild meist mehr nach innen gewölbt. Schild meist weniger nach innen gewölbt. Schild meist flacher. Fig. 28. Schematic comparative illustration of the caudal scute (lower side) of males and females. Extreme values recorded from my Testudo kleinmanni: Largest adult male (five years old) 120 mm 170 g Smallest adult male (nine years old) 75 mm 115 g Female Characteristics:- distinctly larger than males (12 cm in carapace length on average) - rounded, highly domed in outlines - tail shorter than in males (length may vary) - anal scutes not diverging in arches - maximum weight 430 g (350–380 g on average) Figs. 29 & 30. Female Testudo kleinmanni in dorsal and ventral views. 22 RADIATA 23 (1), 2014

Testudo kleinmanni, the Egyptian Tortoise – small yet demanding Extreme values recorded from my Testudo kleinmanni: Largest adult female (five years old) 135 mm 430 g Smallest adult female (six years old) 100 mm 290 g Fig. 31. Testudo kleinmanni, female; note the shorter tail compared to the male depicted in Fig. 27. Mating and oviposition Mating events may be witnessed as early as during the course of October (sometimes even already in September). A typical initial observation is that male specimens will run through their terraria incessantly, like “wound up”, which keepers of Testudo kleinmanni often refer to as the “Duracell rabbit effect“. Seemingly without aim and direction, they do not tire of cruising. Eventually they will take to shadowing their females step by step and circle them. The intensity of their courtship eventually increases, with the males lending their intentions emphasis by placing partly strong bites on the female’s legs (both front and hind legs) or even on the head. If the female ignores these “advances”, the male will step up his efforts and begin to ram the female’s shell from the sides or even frontally to “make her submit”. Circling the female again and again, the male will try to find the right point of time for attempting to mount her. Initially, the little guys will present themselves as rather clumsy lovers. Overwhelmed by the urge to mate they will initially often confuse the front and rear ends of the female or even try to mount her from the side. The males are so persistent and enduring, however, that they will earlier or later find the right position for copulating. During copulation, the males will emit creaking or even chirping sounds. Interesting in this conjunction is that each male specimen will utter a mating sound that is particular to him. There are days when all my males mate with their females at the same time and in the process produce a soundstage that is worthy of note. Sometimes the males’ mating sounds are audible in other rooms of the house. With these being individual, I am able to tell which male is busy mating. These sounds could be most fittingly compared to the cooing of RADIATA 23 (1), 2014 23