The horny keratin plates on a Leopard Tortoise carapace, known as scutes, are ridged and indicate the seasons of growth a bit like tree rings.
The horny keratin plates on a Leopard Tortoise carapace, known as scutes, are ridged and indicate the seasons of growth a bit like tree rings. This enables herpetologists to estimate individual's age.
Size: 5500px × 3750px
Location: Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Photo credit: © Nick Greaves / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: active, aestivate, africa, annulations, carapace, chelonian, chordata, claws, collectors, common, communal, defence, diurnal, domed, dry, environment, feeder, fight, geochelone, growth, habitat, hatchling, illegal, keratin, leopard, males, markings, midday, national, pardalis, park, pattern, pet, plastron, precocial, protection, rains, range, reptile, rest, resting, rigid, rings, rough, ruaha, savanna, scutes, shell, skeleton, slow, solitary, terrain, testudines, testudinidae, tetrapodomorpha, threatened, tortoise, trade, unique, vegetarian, vertebrate, viviparous, widespread
