Natal hinge-back tortoise
species of reptile
The Natal hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys natalensis), also known as Natal hinge-backed tortoise or Natal hinged tortoise, is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae which is restricted to eastern southern Africa to a relatively small area around the borders of Mozambique, South Africa, and Eswatini.
Description
The Natal hinge-back tortoise is one of the smallest of the hinged tortoises. It has an elongated carapace up to 15.5 cm (6.1 in) in length which is slightly domed with a flat dorsal surface, although averaging between 8 and 14 cm (3.1 and 5.5 in) in length. Its hinge, on the underside of its shell, is also poorly developed compared to its relatives, being restricted to the marginals. This rudimentary hinge only develops later, and is absent in juveniles. The small tail terminates in a distinctive spike. It has a brown to yellow head is small to large with a non-projecting snout.
The scutes on its relatively elongated shell usually have concentric dark and light rings. Females are larger than males and usually more boldly marked. Unlike the other hinged tortoises, the males do not have a concave belly.
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This entry incorporates text from “Natal hinge-back tortoise” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.