Body mass to length relationships in chelonia
Blakey, C.S.; Kirkwood, J.K.
Veterinary Record 136(22): 566-568
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 7676583 Document Number: 449178
The mass to length relationship was studied in 98 chelonia (41 spur-thigh tortoises, Testudo graeca; 15 Hermann's tortoises, T. hermanni; 11 American box tortoises, Terrapene carolina and 31 red-eared terrapins, Trachemys scripta) held in several collections in the south of England between March and May 1993. The authors state that the resulting regression curves provide an objective index of bodyweight in relation to length but note that deviations would occur in cases of emaciation or obesity. The graphs cannot be used to discriminate between healthy and abnormal animals. The results correlated well with those from earlier studies.