Indian Star Tortoise
Geochelone elegans (Schoepff, 1795)
Vulnerable (IUCN)Basic info
| Common name |
|
|---|---|
| Species name | Geochelone elegans |
| Scientific name | Geochelone elegans (Schoepff, 1795) |
| Taxonomy | Animalia Chordata Testudines Testudinidae Geochelone elegans |
Temperatures & Season
Day time temperatures
| Background | 20 - 25 °F |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | 30 °F |
Night time temperatures
| Background summer | 20 - 25 °F |
|---|---|
| Background winter | 20 - 22 °F |
Season
| Photoperiod | 12 hours |
|---|
Microhabitats
Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.
- Rocks, crevices or burrows
- Foliage or shrubs
- Grassland or savanna
- SaSemi-arboreal
Ferguson Zones
Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions
The Ferguson Zone in which the Indian Star Tortoise has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.
Recommended lighting methods in captivity
Sunbeam method
This method uses the 'Max UVI Recorded' value as a guide for the upper limit of the UVB gradient in captivity. This maximum should be the highest level which a Indian Star Tortoise can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Indian Star Tortoise.
More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150
Community collected distribution (549 occurrences)
Biomes
These are the biomes the Indian Star Tortoise was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.
- Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
- Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
- Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands
- Deserts and Xeric Shrublands
More species to explore
References
- Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
- Geochelone elegans (Schoepff, 1795) in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
- Schoepff, J. D. (1795)UNKNOWN_REFERENCE_TYPE
- iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org