Kinixys

Kinixys
Kinixys belliana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Kinixys

Kinixys is a genus of turtles in the family Testudinidae. They are native to Africa, and commonly known as hinged tortoises.[1]

Most of the Kinixys species are omnivores. They feed mainly on a wide range of different leaves, weeds, roots, flowers and fruits. However, they also eat worms, insects and other small invertebrates.[2][3]

Species

Three species of Kinixys: belliana nogueyi, erosa, homeana. (Illustration G. Aeschimann).

Distribution and habitat

The several species of the "Kinxys" genus are found across much of tropical and sub-tropical sub-Saharan Africa, ranging as far south as KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and as far north as the fringes of the Sahel and Sahara. However, individuals are often very scarce within this range, and several species are threatened.

Though the species' wide ranges overlap considerably, they are separated from each other by favouring different habitats within this range. Some species (such as K. belliana) favour open savannah or grasslands, others (such as K. homeana) favour rainforest.

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References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, October 28, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.