# could a russian and a greek cross breed in the wild



## gamera154 (Feb 1, 2016)

iv been thinking about this because i saw this


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## tortadise (Feb 1, 2016)

It is possible yes. But keep in mind that those are the boundaries in which each species has been noted, documented and accounted for during studies. Most of the overlapping species typically diverse into there own niche of different ecosystems. When zoom into those overlapped regions it's typically the outmost region where each species has been documented. There typically not in plethoras of dense populations. But it is possible indeed. There's species of testudo in Iran/Iraq when looked at the regional Map clearly are overlapped. But one species will reside and only thrive in the mountains and the other in the lower regions. So on a map and natural range overlap it would appear both are within the same territory but on a smaller more in depth range study they rarely or never will be seen next to one another in the wild. Hermans may naturally integrate in the eastern and Dalmatian species though I believe. Chris could answer that one better, @HermanniChris


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## HermanniChris (Feb 1, 2016)

Right, yes in theory it's possible but many of these tortoises simply don't cross paths and even in the case of those that do (T. h. boettgeri/T. marginata/T. g. ibera) there aren't any documented natural hybrids, only those in captivity. At least I've never read about any.

T. h. boettgeri and T. h. hercegovinensis cross in an area referred to as the "intergrade zone" which unfortunately has only added to taxonomists dropping T. h. hercegovinensis as a valid subspecies....believe you me, that will be resurrected as will the elevation of T. h. hermanni and T. h. boettgeri to full species rank. In Italy, T. h. boettgeri has crossed with T. h. hermanni naturally (although the term naturally should be used lightly in this because some suggest that T. h. boettgeri was introduced by man here) but only in the extreme northwest corner at the "Valley of the Po". Here, the Po River divides the intergrades from the pure T. h. hermanni which occur throughout the rest of the country and it's two major islands.


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## gamera154 (Feb 1, 2016)

thats really intresting i was wondering becuase i saw the areas oh and is it ever posible that if there is a hybrid tort like a (russian hybrid) that it will end up in the pet trade and breed or that it will breed in the wild


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