Morphology of skull in the Spur-thighed Tortoise Testudo graeca (Testudines: Testudinidae)

Structural studies are important for connection between morphology and behavior in organisms, but there is still little information about descriptive details of terrestrial turtles. There are degrees of variation in cranial osteology in other turtle species, which can be also significant in Testudo graeca. The present study presents the first detailed description of the Testudo graeca cranial osteology, a terrestrial turtle that currently occurs in different parts of Iran. In this study, four specimens collected from Dinvar and Chaharzebar regions in Kermanshah province were used. Using common protocols for bone cleansing, the skulls were removed and scanned, and photographed using a loop equipped with digital camera. The skull of Testudo graeca encompass 49 bones (22 pairs and five single bones) that is including a flat skull roof, numerous extremely wide skull elements, and a compressed neurocranium possibly the functional result of life habit. Results showed that specific variations in skull osteology, including scale, shape, location and articulation, can have different effects on animal behavior.