Postcranial osteology in Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca)

The terrestrial tortoise, Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758, belongs to the family Testudinidae. A comparative osteological assessment can reveal the adaptive traits of this species. The aim of this study is to evaluate the postcranial osteology of the spur-thighed tortoise. In this study, two specimens of this species collected from their natural habitat in Dinvar and Chaharzebar regions in Kermanshah Province were used. Using common protocols for bone cleansing, the bones were removed and cleaned, and photographed using a Stereomicroscope model Olympus DP12 Germany equipped with digital camera. Postcranially, the vertebra column in T. graeca consists of a total of 55 vertebrae. Cervical ribs are not present in adults. The thoracic girdle is made up of three parts, the scapula and the coracoid. The pelvic girdle is large and has three parts and is composed of ilium, ischium and pubis. The humerus is thick and distinctly sigmoid. The bones of the radius and ulna are tightly connected in the near and far parts. The tibia and fibula are about the same length, and the near and far ends of both are widely transverse. It can be concluded from present study that the shape and number of bones that make up the postcranium, manus, thoracic girdle, pes and pelvic girdle, and the articular surfaces of the bones are specific to the species that can be the result of adaptation to different habitats.