Bell's hinge-back tortoise | |
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Kinixys belliana "nogueyi" | |
Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
Family: | Testudinidae |
Genus: | Kinixys |
Species: | K. belliana |
Binomial name | |
Kinixys belliana | |
Synonyms[3] | |
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Bell's hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys belliana), also knowncommonly asBell's eastern hinged tortoise,[1] is aspecies oftortoise in thefamilyTestudinidae. The species is native to centralAfrica.[2] It has the hinge that characterizes all tortoises in the genusKinixys. There are no recognizedsubspecies.
Both thespecific name,belliana, and the common name are in honor ofEnglishzoologistThomas Bell.[4]
Bell's hinge-back tortoise is a medium-sized light brown tortoise. They can grow up to 22 cm. On the back of its shell, the tortoise has a 90 degree hinge which, when closed, can protect its rear legs and tail from predators. This broad band of flexible connective tissue is located between the 4th and 5th costals and the 7th and 8th peripherals in adults.
The scutes on its slightly domed and elongated shell typically have a radiating pattern of dark patches, though these can fade. Adult males have a concave belly. Most Bell's hinge-backs have five claws on each forefoot.
In its habitat, Bell's hinge-back tortoise favours tropical and sub-tropicalsavannahs ofsub-Saharan Africa.
It was traditionally considered to be the most common and widespread hinge-back tortoise, found throughout a large part ofsub-Saharan Africa such as inSudan,Tanzania, theDemocratic Republic of the Congo and down tosouthern Africa. However, a revision of the species advocated by Kindler et al. (2012) restricted it only to the central African populations, ranging fromAngola toBurundi.[5]
Bell's hinge-back tortoise is an omnivore, with a very varied diet consisting mainly of a range of different plants, but also including insects and other meat.
It feeds onvegetables,twigs,roots,leaves,fruits,earthworms,snails,tadpoles and other small invertebrates.
In its natural habitat, its predators areleopards,hawks andeagles.
Currently it is mainly threatened by widespread collection from the wild for the illegal international trade in the species. It is also collected by local peoples for food and human population growth in the area is putting pressure on the species. Human-induced fire is also a threat.[citation needed]
Its shells are used asmusical instruments by the priests of theOroko and other peoples of southwestern Cameroon to accompany religious incantations.[6]
As of March 22, 2000, theUSDA has banned importation of the Bell's hinge-back tortoise,leopard tortoise and theAfrican spurred tortoise.[7]
Nosubspecies are currently recognized as being valid.[2] Formerly the following subspecies were recognized:[1]
Kindler et al. (2012) raised the subspeciesK. b. zombensis (which they considered a senior synonym ofK. b. domerguei) andK. b. nogueyi to the ranks of species, respectivelyKinixys zombensis andKinixys nogueyi.[5]K. b. domerguei is now treated as subspecies ofKinixys zombensis (i.e.,Kinixys zombensis domerguei).[8]
Kinixys tortoises play host to a number of ectoparasites (external) and endoparasites (internal) A survey (by Alan Probert & Clive Humphreys) of mixed captiveK. spekii andK. belliana (mostlyK. spekii) in Zimbabwe showed that ticks (Arachnida) and roundworms (Nematoda) of generaAngusticium,Atractis andTachygontria infect these tortoises. This has been reported by others as well. However, some of the tiny roundworms (photographed under SEM) are very likely new species and as yet remain undescribed.