Spekes Hinged Tortoise

Name

Speke's Hinge-Back Tortoise [Kinixys spekii]

Class

Reptilia

Order

Testudines

Family

Testudinidae

Length_F

140 - 160 mm

Length_M

140 - 160 mm

Description

A medium-sized tortoise with a smooth, depressed carapace with a well developed hinge. The shell of juveniles has a zonary pattern with concentric light and dark zones. These may persist in adult males while the dark zones break up in adult females.

Distribution

Savannas of central and Eastern Africa, through Zimbabwe to North Western and Northern provinces of South Africa, and along the lowveld and Mozambique coastal plain as far south as Swaziland.

Breeding

Clutch size varies from 2 - 6 eggs.

Diet

Varied; syzygium and other fruit, mushrooms, giant land snails, beetles and pill millipedes.