Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis). Section of the upper shell or carapace and scutes. Dark spots of melanin pigment within keratin covering in


Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis). Section of the upper shell or carapace and scutes. Dark spots of melanin pigment within keratin covering individual scutes, on bone beneath but not visible. Spurts of growth, ‘rings’, show successive time periods of size increase, indicative of good feeding.


Size: 4480px × 6720px
Photo credit: © Joe Blossom / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: africa, areola, camouflage, carapace, centrals, chelonia, chelonians, costal, costals, cryptic, dorsal, east, epidermal, epidermis, fauna, format, grasslands, growth, keratin, lamina, laminar, lateral, leopard, lines, marginal, marginals, markings, melanin, nucleus, pardalis, pattern, portrait, reptile, reptiles, reptilia, rings, savanna, scute, scutes, seam, seasonal, shell, shield, shields, southern, spots, stigmochelyes, testudine, testudines, texture, tortoise, variable, wildlife