Mediterranean Tortoise
Testudo graeca
Georgia’s only land tortoise — a high-domed shell, not a pond turtle.
Overview
What is Mediterranean Tortoise
The Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca) is Georgia’s only land tortoise. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed. T. g. ibera is widespread in eastern Georgia; T. g. nikolskii was described from western Georgia and is considered rare. The checklist keeps nikolskii for phenotypic differences and a distinct range; genetic distinction between the subspecies is not yet demonstrated. A barcoded specimen is from Tbilisi.
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Identification
How to identify Mediterranean Tortoise
The only land tortoise in Georgia. A high-domed shell and columnar legs separate it from pond turtles.
- 01
High-domed shell — not the flatter shell of a freshwater turtle.
- 02
Columnar legs; no webbed swimming feet.
- 03
Horny beak; no teeth.
- 04
Moves slowly on land; not a pond or shoreline turtle.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Mediterranean Tortoise.
No. Testudo graeca is a land tortoise — the only one in Georgia. Pond, Caspian, and slider turtles are freshwater species.
Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026: T. g. ibera is widespread in eastern Georgia; T. g. nikolskii was described from the west and is considered rare. A barcoded specimen is from Tbilisi — a locality, not a complete map.
The land shell is high and domed; water turtles have a flatter shell, webbed feet, and often bask on banks.
Site classification: Harmless. It has no venom.
Two on the checklist: T. g. ibera and T. g. nikolskii. Genetic distinction is not yet demonstrated.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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