scholarly journals Influence of male courtship intensity and male-male competition on paternity distribution in Hermann's tortoise,Testudo hermanni hermanni(Chelonia: Testudinidae)

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 656-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Cutuli ◽  
Stefano Cannicci ◽  
Marco Vannini ◽  
Sara Fratini
Keyword(s):  
Male Competition ◽  
Male Courtship ◽  
Courtship Intensity ◽  
Testudo Hermanni ◽  
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni

Courtship displays and mounting calls are honest, condition-dependent signals that influence mounting success in Hermann's tortoises

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 1306-1313 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Galeotti ◽  
R Sacchi ◽  
M Fasola ◽  
D Pellitteri Rosa ◽  
M Marchesi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Modulation ◽  
Call Rate ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Sexual Interaction ◽  
Courtship Intensity ◽  
Male Condition ◽  
Testudo Hermanni ◽  
Courtship Signals ◽  
Male Morphology ◽  
Rate Frequency

Like other terrestrial tortoises, the courtship behaviour of Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni Gmelin, 1789) is based on a multiple signalling system that involves visual, olfactory, tactile, and acoustic signals. In this study, we analysed relationships between male morphology, hematological profile, courtship intensity, vocalizations, and mounting success in Hermann's tortoises breeding in semi-natural enclosures to investigate the effects of male condition on signals exhibited during courtship and on their mounting success. Results showed that mounting success of Hermann's tortoise males was positively affected by the number of sexual interactions/h, number of bites given to the female during interactions, and by call rate and frequency-modulation range. Call rate, frequency-modulation range, and number of sexual interaction/h increased with hematocrit value, while number of bites given to females decreased with leukocyte concentration. In conclusion, courtship signals exhibited by Hermann's tortoise males, including vocalizations, reliably reveal different components of male condition, and females may use these multiple traits to choose high-quality partners. This is the first study documenting the condition-dependent nature of tortoise courting signals and their effect on male mounting success.

Population and Thermal Ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in the Tolfa Mountains of Central Italy

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Filippi ◽  
Lorenzo Rugiero ◽  
Massimo Capula ◽  
Russell L. Burke ◽  
Luca Luiselli
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Thermal Ecology ◽  
Testudo Hermanni ◽  
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni

Aspects of population ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni from Asinara Island, NW Sardinia (Italy, Western Mediterranean Sea): preliminary data

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Zuffi ◽  
Claudia Corti
Keyword(s):  
Population Ecology ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Western Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Four Seasons ◽  
On This Island ◽  
Testudo Hermanni ◽  
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni

AbstractHermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni Gmelin) of the Island of Asinara (NW Sardinia, Italy) has been studied during a period of four seasons. This population consisted of several individuals of large body size, some of them being amongst the largest known for this species. Bony shells of males were commonly found on this island, while the same was not true for female bony shells. Although wild boars (Sus scrofa) are potential large sized predators for tortoises, the analysis of carapace morphology did not reveal injuries signs due to bites. Male tortoises could die due to up-turning, as the result of male-male combats during the mating season, to possible hyperthermia when upturned, and to predation carried out by birds particularly when upturned. Estimated density was 4.88 individuals ha-1, which was similar to that of conspecifics from other areas studied so far.

Notes on the thermal ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-112
Author(s):  
Zaida Ortega ◽  
Abraham Mencía ◽  
Valentín Pérez-Mellado
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Sunlight Exposure ◽  
Balearic Islands ◽  
Late Spring ◽  
Thermal Ecology ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Testudo Hermanni ◽  
Substrate Temperatures ◽  
Testudo Hermanni Hermanni

We studied the thermal ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in Menorca during late spring. We measured body temperatures of adult individuals, together with air and substrate temperatures at points of capture. Sunlight exposure (full sun, filtered sun, or shade) and type of substrate were also recorded. Body temperatures were similar between sexes (mean = 29.95°C) as were air temperatures between gender capture sites (mean = 28.33°C). Conversely, females were found in areas with a higher substrate temperature (31.60°C) than males were (29.15°C). Moreover, the correlation between body and air temperatures was stronger than it was between body and substrate temperatures, as found in other populations of this species. The tortoises were usually found in full sun, and the proportion of animals found in each sunlight category was similar between sexes. Our results contribute to the knowledge of the thermal ecology of the western Hermann’s tortoise.

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