Morphometrics and sexual dimorphism of the hinge‐back tortoises<i>Kinixys erosa</i>and<i>Kinixys homeana</i>(Reptilia: Testudinidae) in southwestern Cameroon

Lawson, Dwight P.

doi:10.1080/21564574.2001.9635445

Cited by 13 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…Further sexually dimorphic characters in tortoises include males with longer heads, gular projections for butting, wider anal notch for tail movement, and plastral ridges or an hourglass shape for stability during mounting (Grubb, 1971;Braza, Delibes & Castroviejo, 1981;McRae, Landers & Cleveland, 1981;Moskovits, 1988). These dimorphic characters, and others of less obvious significance such as eye and plastron colour, have now been described in several species of tortoise (Doumergue, 1899;Gerecke, 1932;Lambert, 1982Lambert, , 1993Lambert, , 1995Stubbs et al, 1984;Lambert, Campbell & Kabigumila, 1998;Willemsen & Hailey, 1999a;Lawson, 2001) and other chelonians (Graham, 1979;Yasuka, Ota & Iverson, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual dimorphism of body size and shell shape in European tortoises

Willemsen¹,

Hailey

2003

Journal of Zoology

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Adult body size and shape were examined in almost 1400 individuals of the tortoises Testudo graeca, T. hermanni and T. marginata from Greece. The size at maturity was greater in females than in males in all three species. Maximum and mean adult sizes were also greater in females than in males in T. graeca and T. hermanni. Males grew to a larger size than females in T. marginata, and mean adult size was similar in the sexes in this species. Sexual dimorphism of shape (adjusted for size covariate) was shown in most of the characters examined, and the degree of this dimorphism differed significantly among the three species. Differences were related to their contrasting courtship behaviours: horizontal head movements and severe biting in T. marginata, vertical head bobs and carapace butting in T. graeca, and mounting and tail thrusting in T. hermanni. There was no difference in the frequency of observations of courtship or fighting among the three species, but courtship was about 10 times more common than combat in males. All species showed greatest courtship activity in autumn; copulation was rarely observed in T. hermanni (only 0.36% of courting males) and not seen in the other species in the field. Observations made throughout the activity season indicated that feeding was equally common in males and females in all three species. Differences in shape were more likely to be the result of sexual selection than of natural selection for fecundity. Detailed predictions are made for sexual dimorphism of other characters in these species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual dimorphism of body size and shell shape in European tortoises

Willemsen¹,

Hailey

2003

Journal of Zoology

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“…This does not mean that K. homeana is more common than K. erosa in lowland forests of West Africa in general, but it just reflects a local situation. Indeed, Lawson (2000Lawson ( , 2001 found that the reverse was true in the lowland forests of southwestern Cameroon.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…', 'FIZV, 'Prime Energy Resources Nigeria Ltd.' (Port Harcourt) and ' JAM Oil Services Co. Nigeria Ltd.' (Port Harcourt) for logistic and financial support for this project and to 'Chelonian Research Foundation' (Linnaeus Fund, years 1999, 2000, and 2001) for having directly funded the present project. Whit Gibbons was very helpful in the phase of preparing this manuscript with suggestions and by providing many literature sources; Marco Zuffi and anonymous referees critically reviewed a draft version of the paper.…”

Section: Acknowledgementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aspects of the population and reproductive ecology of sympatric hinge‐back tortoises (Kinixys homeanaandK. erosa) in southern Nigeria, on the basis of specimens traded in bush‐meat markets

Akani¹,

Filippi²,

Luiselli³

2004

Italian Journal of Zoology

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The ecology and population structure of hinge-back tortoises (genus Kinixys) was studied in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (West Africa), where these species are actively hunted by local people for subsistence. The work is based not only on capture, mark and recapture study of free-ranging specimens, but also on dissection of specimens offered for food, already dead, in the bush-meat markets of the study region. The frequency of observation of the two most common species, i.e. K. homeana and K. erosa, was significantly higher in three areas subjected to 'tradition conservation' (because tortoises are worshipped by natives due to animistic taboos) than in three other areas where they are harvested. In particular, the juvenile class was much depleted in the three harvest areas. Analyses of market specimens demonstrated that, in both K. homeana and K. erosa, most of the females with oviductal eggs are found during the peak of the dry season, and that there was a positive relationship between maternal size (plastron length) and number of eggs produced. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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“…-Found throughout the coastal regions and also in the Southern Province (Iverson 1992;Chirio and LeBreton 2007); its presence has also been well documented in the Southwest Province in recent years (e.g., Lawson 1993Lawson , 2000Lawson , 2001Lawson , 2006. In general, it has a wider distribution than K. homeana as far as this country is concerned .…”

Section: Conservation Biology Of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoisesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…on length, width on length, and width on height showed also significant differences between sexes, with the females being relatively taller than males (Lawson 2001). In the Niger Delta of Nigeria, the range of adult PL was 170-250 mm in males and 150-220 mm in females, and the mass ranged from 800-1700 g in males and 600-1500 g in females (Luiselli, G.C.…”

Section: Conservation Biology Of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoisesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinixys erosa (Schweigger 1812) – Forest Hinge-back Tortoise, Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise, Serrated Hinged Tortoise.

Luiselli¹,

Diagne²

2014

Chelonian Research Monographs

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summary. -The Forest Hinge-back Tortoise, Kinixys erosa (Family Testudinidae), is a forest tortoise with considerable range over the continuous Guinea-Congo rainforest region in West and Central Africa. It is a medium-sized to large tortoise, with a carapace length reaching ca. 400 mm, and males larger than females. Tortoises of the genus Kinixys can close themselves entirely within their shells through a unique posterior carapacial hinge. Kinixys erosa inhabits the lowland evergreen forest, marshy areas, and forest galleries growing along rivers and streams, where it is locally threatened by clearance of forest for cultivation and hunting pressure. It has an omnivorous diet, with mushrooms being predominant. Population sizes are strongly depressed in areas where these tortoises are actively hunted by human populations. The main threats for this species include subsistence hunting by local people in desperately poor economic conditions, agricultural and industrial expansion with deforestation, and trade for the pet industry. There is a strong need for more field research on K. erosa ecology, abundance, and status. There are no known conservation actions for this species; however, there is a need to establish protected areas that include viable populations of these tortoises through their natural range.

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Morphometrics and sexual dimorphism of the hinge‐back tortoisesKinixys erosaandKinixys homeana(Reptilia: Testudinidae) in southwestern Cameroon

Cited by 13 publications

References 2 publications

Sexual dimorphism of body size and shell shape in European tortoises

Sexual dimorphism of body size and shell shape in European tortoises

Aspects of the population and reproductive ecology of sympatric hinge‐back tortoises (Kinixys homeanaandK. erosa) in southern Nigeria, on the basis of specimens traded in bush‐meat markets

Kinixys erosa (Schweigger 1812) – Forest Hinge-back Tortoise, Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise, Serrated Hinged Tortoise.

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