TESTUDO ACTINODES.
subprominens. Sternum anticè subdentatum, posticè trigono- vel lunato-emargina-
tum : scuta sterni flavo nigroque radiata, subsulcata : guiaría parva, trigona : humeralia
irregulariter pentágona : pectoralia anticè sinuata : abdominalia magna, quadrata :
femoralia quadrata | analta rhomboidea, porrecta : añilaría exigua : inguinalia parva,
triangularía.
Testoe osseæ mensura
Dorsi longitudo .........................
Latitudo e ju s d em .........................
A ltitu d o ...........................................
Longitudo s t e r n i .........................
8 6
5 3
5 0
7 4
Although specimens of this species have long existed in several of the Continental
museums, as is proved hy the figures of Seha and of Lacépède, as well
as the descriptions of the latter author and of Daudin, it had, until of late,
been universally confounded with Testudo geometrical The description of
Lacépède, purporting to refer to the latter species, is, in fact, as well as his
figure, taken from a specimen of T. actinodes, as he assigns to it only twenty-
three marginal plates ; a character which belongs essentially to the present
species, whereas T. geometrica has always twenty-four. It is also the first
variety of geometrica of Daudin. In the very young state it has received from
Schoepif thé name of T. elegans, and that of T. stellata from Schweigger ; and
Mr. Gray has adopted the latter name. In the adult state it was first described
by myself in the Zoological Journal, and figured in the Supplementary Plates
of that work.
In its general appearance and the character of its markings, it certainly bears
a great resemblance to the species with which it has been so often confounded ;
there are, however, many constant and strongly marked differences. The head
is very similar both in form and colour, and so are the neck and limbs ; but
the anterior feet, in T. actinodes, are furnished with a greater number of those
imbricated scales, which protect the anterior part of them in both species ; the tail
also is somewhat longer, and the thighs are furnished with about three or four
TESTUDO ACTINODES.
strong conical scales on each side. The general form of the shell is much
less globose: the margin is not in the least degree revolute in any part; in
geometrica it is so throughout the whole circumference: the nuchal plate,
which is always present in the other species, is here invariably wanting : the
posterior margin is much more deeply indented, and the caudal plate, instead
of being incurved under the marginal outline of the shell, as in geometrica, is
either perpendicular, or inclined backwards. The areolae, as may be concluded
from the comparative size of the two animals, are much larger in
actinodes, and, instead of being depressed, are either quite plane or slightly
elevated. There is also considerable diversity in the character of the yellow
radiations of the plates. In geometrica they are linear; in actinodes they
become much wider towards the circumference. The ground colour of the
sternum in the present species is a light yellow, with very distinct black
radiations, which also widen towards the circumference, as the yellow rays do
on the dorsal plates. In geometrica the sternum is clouded with yellow and
light brown, and the darker radiations are only here and there observable
towards the margin of the plates.
In young specimens the colours are brighter, the markings more distinct,
and the plates, instead of being much elevated, as in the adult, are almost flat.
I have had several individuals of this species living, but have not succeeded
in keeping them alive over the winter, notwithstanding they had fed freely
during the warm weather. The egg is oval, and about the size of a pigeon s.