(Med./Asia Minor) Spur-thighed Tortoise Testudo graeca

The (Asia Minor) Spur-thighed Tortoise, also called Mediterranean Spur-thighed and, strangely, the Greek Tortoise, is native mainly to coastal northwest Africa, southern Spain and to much of Asia Minor, the Caucasus and the Near East. Although called the "Greek" Tortoise from its Latin epithet "graeca", it has only a small presence in Greece (the related Marginated Tortoise is the most common and Hermann's Tortoise is prevalent in Greece). The term "Mediterranean Tortoise" is applied to all "Testudo" species.

As its name indicates, it has "spurs" on the back thighs. Lifespan in the wild is typically some 80 years but can reach over 100. There are a dozen or so recognised subspecies over its range. The subspecies shown in the rows above, Testudo graeca ibera, is common in Turkey; some propose it should be a separate species T. ibera.

Immediately above is the Near East subspecies, T. g. terrestris, native to Israel and Lebanon.