# Chips in the butt shell?



## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 4, 2015)

Hey just curious i dont rememeber if i asked this before but the day i got my torts i noticed they had different cut outs in their shell above their tail. Its how i have determined whos who since day one haha. Well i was just thinking about it, does anyone have torts with chips / cut outs ?? Its nothing concerning just curious


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 4, 2015)

??


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## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Apr 4, 2015)

can you post some pics?


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 4, 2015)

Yes ill be home from work in a few hours ill post pictures.


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 6, 2015)

Its hard to see because of the tails under it. But here they are one by one


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 6, 2015)

.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 6, 2015)

I believe the chips you refer to is called serrated. I think when the babies are serrated like that they are considered Gopherus agassizii, from the Mojave areas, quote/unquote "The carapace is unkeeled, with a serrated rear rim" versus being Gopherus morafkai from Sonoran desert which apparently are smooth when young. Experts, please chime in. Did I get that right? I hope I did not reverse the two types.

They are all so cute, serrated little edges and all! : )


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 6, 2015)

Yes they have been like that since we got them at 1 week old and thats how i tell them apart  well not anymore they have different looks now. But yes please more explanation on it.


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 6, 2015)

Anyone else want to chime in???


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## Arnold_rules (Apr 9, 2015)

The tortoises from the Mojave Desert are also suppose to have a more round/dome shape whereas the Sonora Desert Tortoise is a bit more flat.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 9, 2015)

Arnold_rules said:


> The tortoises from the Mojave Desert are also suppose to have a more round/dome shape whereas the Sonora Desert Tortoise is a bit more flat.



Oh. Interesting. So the Mojave are the more butterball ones. And Sonoran tortoises are found more on cliffs and ledges, and if they are flatter, that kind of reminds me of how pancake tortoises are. Cliff dwellers, flatter. Also, read recently that the mycoplasma that affects many of the CDTs from the Mojave has yet to be found in the Sonoran localities. I suppose that could be because the Sonorans have not had as much human disruption as the Mojave tortoises.

Anyone out there have a fer sure Sonoran, adult and/or baby, so we can see their little butts and their overall shapes to compare with NewDesertTortoiseMommy's babies? That would be much cool.

I am so interested in just knowing the differences between the two. And it could be that many of our captive bred CDTs are a mix of the two by now.


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## New Desert Tortoise Mommy (Apr 9, 2015)

Ooo yes that would be interesting. Anyone have one??


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## ascott (Apr 9, 2015)

New Desert Tortoise Mommy said:


> Yes they have been like that since we got them at 1 week old and thats how i tell them apart  well not anymore they have different looks now. But yes please more explanation on it.




http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=2586

Please do note that the pics are of deceased tortoise and are used for id purpose only....nothing "gross" "graphic" but for reference at this point...if you scroll down about half way you will see the visual differences...


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 11, 2015)

Ohhhh wow. Thanks Angela. You are a great chimer when you chime in. That article is ... wow! Hard core wow! Lots to learn!
Rest in Peace little dead scientific study every one can learn from you now sweet tortoises.


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