Another nuchal scute

[cdmay]

In the thread titled 'Last of the 2013s' I had a photo of some emerging (cherry-head) red-foots. Well, as they came out of their eggs I discovered that one possessed a nuchal scute--something red-footed tortoises are not supposed to have.
This is the fourth individual hatchling from this year with a nuchal and the first to come out of this particular female. Clearly, it is one of the males that carries the gene for this retro trait.

 

[Yvonne G]

I know I'm changing the subject, but oh my, oh my!!! What pretty babies!

 

[Baoh]

That is very neat to see.

 

[redfoot_mama94]

They're gorgeous!

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[hlim18]

Wow those are really cool tortoises.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

beautiful

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[wellington]

They are so different in color, yet each so pretty.

 

[Jacqui]

The one with the scute seems to be less "colorful" for a lack of a better term, is that also true of the other ones?

 

[cdmay]

The one with the scute seems to be less "colorful" for a lack of a better term, is that also true of the other ones?

The 'hot' red one on the right is exceptionally colored. The others from the same clutch are more faded looking right now--but this will change in the coming months. I have found that the neonates sired by my orange male are often a faded pink or orange color at hatching. But as they grow this color deepens considerably and usually becomes a nice orange or pink-orange in time.

 

[Tom]

I find these little anomalies most interesting. Thanks Carl, and hello by the way.

Gorgeous babies.