Morphometrics of the pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) in Tanzania

Abstract

Observations were made of the morphometrics of captive pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) in June 1995. Carapace length ranges for immature tortoises and adult males and females were 50-115, 123-160 and 129-171 mm respectively. The respective carapace widths were 45-90, 97-130, and 92-129 and 97-130 mm. Carapace height ranges were 15-29, 25-40 and 117-159 mm, respectively, while plastron length ranges were 45-110, 108-150 and 117-159 mm. The relationships between carapace length and width (males: y = 13.763+0.639x; females: y = 17.302+0.639x) and height (males: y=6.851+0.170x, females: y = 17.274+0.170x) were isometric and sexually dimorphic in adults. The relationship between carapace length (x) and plastron length (y) was also isometric (y = 20.438+0.790x) but not sexually dimorphic in adults. The respective mass ranges for immature tortoises, adult males and females were 20-200, 200-500 and 240-580 g. The relationship between mass (x in g) and carapace length (y in mm) were strongly allometric (males: y = 32.026x^0.261; females: y = 26.188x^0.261) and not sexually dimorphic in adults. That in immature tortoises was y = 16.482x^0.363.


Tanz. J. Sci. Vol. 28(2) 2002: 33-46