Split scutes

[thetortoiselady]

I’m curious - What is you guys’s honest opinion on split scutes? Would you get a tortoise with a split scute or not? I’ve seen that some people really don’t care but others say they would never get a torotise with them! What is your opinion?

 

[wellington]

Most of us on this forum don't mind them at all. A lot of us really like them, a couple members used to seek them out.
Yes, I would buy a tortoise with a split scute or an extra scute.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I personally think they’re adorable and a cute little quirk! If there was a clutch of perfect babies and one had a split scute, I’d be picking that one

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

My Russian tortoises scutes aren't really symmetric at all. Some of them are attached as a pair, some not. I think it is a quirk, plus if he was ever lost I would recognize his unique scute patter.

 

[Seul001]

Tortoises are unique, and a split scute is just part of their story. As long as the tortoise is healthy and happy, I’d be okay with it.

 

[Anyfoot]

I have a redfoot with split scutes, she’s around 8yrs old and grew perfectly smooth.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

For those who are curious, here I have marked the biggest asymmetries in Edwards shell (note that he was most likely wild caught):
1. Black line outlines the scutes that seem to be attached to each other as a pair.
2. The red line marks where the distance between two scutes is visibly shorter than on the other side.
3. And lastly, I have marked the front in blue to highlight a clear breaking point in the axis of symmetry

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

For those who are curious, here I have marked the biggest asymmetries in Edwards shell (note that he was most likely wild caught):
1. Black line outlines the scutes that seem to be attached to each other as a pair.
2. The red line marks where the distance between two scutes is visibly shorter than on the other side.
3. And lastly, I have marked the front in blue to highlight a clear breaking point in the axis of symmetry

View attachment 382001

Handsome boy!!

 

[thetortoiselady]

Thanks guys! I didn’t know much about them, but after doing more research on different tortoise breeds and things I’ve seen people with vying opinions on split skits. But from my understanding, it’s just a cosmetic thing?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thanks guys! I didn’t know much about them, but after doing more research on different tortoise breeds and things I’ve seen people with vying opinions on split skits. But from my understanding, it’s just a cosmetic thing?

Yeah just a cute cosmetic quirk

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Thanks guys! I didn’t know much about them, but after doing more research on different tortoise breeds and things I’ve seen people with vying opinions on split skits. But from my understanding, it’s just a cosmetic thing?

It is genetical and/or related to the conditions the egg was in and there has been a lot of talk as to what other things the gene could relate to (try searching on the forum) but I think that it is just cosmetic. Of course an actual physically split scute (this can happen in the front maginal scutes) is a different thing all-together.

 

[Anyfoot]

What I don’t understand with split scutes is this. The areola lands inline with the rib cage.
With extra scutes(areola too) are there extra underlying bones too or are the extra areola attached in some other way.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

From what I read, no extra bones are formed (scutes form later relative to skeleton structure). Unfortunately, I haven't found details on how areolae is attached. I can only speculate that extra scutes are attached the same way as normal as they form at the same time (https://www.researchgate.net/public...opment_in_Turtle_Shell_Symmetry_and_Asymmetry).

I'm pretty sure, that markw84 knows.

 

[Anyfoot]

From what I read, no extra bones are formed (scutes form later relative to skeleton structure). Unfortunately, I haven't found details on how areolae is attached. I can only speculate that extra scutes are attached the same way as normal as they form at the same time (https://www.researchgate.net/public...opment_in_Turtle_Shell_Symmetry_and_Asymmetry).

I'm pretty sure, that markw84 knows.

They are attached with cartilage directly above the ribs. I’m guessing the split scutes just don’t have bone under the cartilage.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

They are attached with cartilage directly above the ribs. I’m guessing the split scutes just don’t have bone under the cartilage.

For pleural scutes it's certainly possible. I'll try to find something on that (it can be covered in books on anatomy/morphology, not in articles). It's possible that areolae of split or extra scutes is formed over the bone with a minor offset (it should be covered in the paper linked above, I just need to dive deeper as terminology is pretty complicated to me).

 

[Lyn W]

My tort has what looks like little horns either side of his front scute (proneural?). They just sit on top of the joints between that the next scutes.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

My tort has what looks like little horns either side of his front scute (proneural?). They just sit on top of the joints between that the next scutes.

Photo?

 

[Maggie3fan]

This is my new tort with great split scutes...no name yet...
the split is across the top

 

[Lyn W]

Photo?

I was trying to find a photo where they can be seen. I'll look again.

 

[Lyn W]

Photo?

Found one.
You'll need to zoom in, and you can see areas of smooth shell behind them as they have shifted during growth.
He's my little devil!