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HLHJ: threats

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threats

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{{more footnotes|date=January 2017}}
{{Taxobox
| image = Russian_Tortoise.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| status = VU
| status_system = iucn2.3
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| subphylum = [[Vertebrata]]
| classis = [[Reptilia]]
| ordo = [[Testudines]]
| subordo = [[Cryptodira]]
| familia = [[Testudinidae]]
| genus = '''''Agrionemys'''''
| species = '''''A. horsfieldii'''''
| binomial = ''Agrionemys horsfieldii''
| binomial_authority = ([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1844)
| synonyms = {{collapsible list|title=click to expand|
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii'' (but see [[#Systematics|text]])
|''Homopus burnesii''
|''Testudinella horsfieldii''
|''T. h. horsfieldii''
|''Testudo horsfieldii'' Gray, 1844
|''Homopus burnesii'' Blyth, 1854
|''Testudinella horsfieldii'' Gray, 1870
|''Testudinella horsfieldi'' Gray, 1873 ''([[ex errore]])''
|''Homopus horsfieldii'' Theobald, 1876
|''Testudo baluchiorum'' Annandale, 1906
|''Medaestia horsfieldi'' Wussow, 1916
|''Testudo horsfieldi'' Wussow, 1916
|''Testudo horsfieldii horsfieldii''Iverson, 1992
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii horsfieldii'' Welch, 1994
|''Agrionemys horsfildii'' Rogner, 1996 ''(ex errore)''
|''Testudo horsfieldi horsfieldi'' Highfield, 1996
|''Agrionemys baluchiorum'' Vetter, 2002
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii baluchiorum'' Artner, 2003
|''T. h. kazachstanica''
|''Agrionemys horsfieldi kazachstanica'' Chkhikvadze, 1988
|''Testudo horsfieldii kazachstanica'' Iverson, 1992
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii kazachstanica'' Welch, 1994
|''Testudo horsfieldi kazachtanica'' Highfield, 1996 ''(ex errore)''
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii kazakhstanica'' Borkin, 1998 ''(ex errore)''
|''Agrionemys kazachstanica'' Perälä, 2002
|''Testudo horsfieldi kazachstanica'' Ferri, 2002
|''T. h. rustamovi''
|''Agrionemys horsfieldi rustamovi'' Chkhikvadze, 1989 ''([[nomen nudum]])''
|''Agrionemys horsfieldi rustamovi'' Chkhikvadze, Amiranashvili & Ataev, 1990
|''Agrionemys horsfieldi rustamowi'' Chkhikvadze, Amiranashvili & Ataev, 1990 ''(ex errore)''
|''Testudo horsfieldii rustamovi'' Iverson, 1992
|''Agrionemys horsfieldii rustamovi'' Welch, 1994
|''Testudo horsfieldii rustomovi'' Das, 1995 ''(ex errore)''
|''Testudo horsfieldi rustmovi'' Highfield, 1996 ''(ex errore)''
|''Testudo horsfieldii rustamov'' Paull, 1997 ''(ex errore)''
|''Agrionemys rustamovi'' Perälä, 2002
|''Testudo horsfieldi rustamovi'' Ferri, 2002}}
| synonyms_ref=<ref name="Fritz 2007">{{Cite journal | journal = Vertebrate Zoology | title = Checklist of Chelonians of the World | year = 2007 | author = Fritz, Uwe |author2 = Havaš, Peter | volume = 57 | issue = 2 | pages = 301–302 | issn=1864-5755 | url=
http://www.cnah.org/pdf_files/851.pdf | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5v20ztMND | archivedate = 2010-12-17|accessdate = 29 May 2012 }}</ref>
}}

The '''Russian tortoise''' (''Agrionemys horsfieldii''), also commonly known as '''Horsfield's tortoise''' or the '''Central Asian tortoise''', is a threatened [[species]] of [[tortoise]]. Its popularity as a [[pet]] contributes to its threatened status.

==Etymology==
Both the [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]], ''horsfieldii'', and the common name "Horsfield's tortoise" are in honor of the [[Americans|American]] [[Natural history|naturalist]] [[Thomas Horsfield]].<ref>Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (''Agrionemys horsfieldii'', p. 126).</ref>

==Systematics==
This species is traditionally placed in ''[[Testudo (genus)|Testudo]]''. Due to distinctly different [[comparative anatomy|morphological]] characteristics, the [[monotypic]] [[genus]] ''Agrionemys'' was proposed for it in 1966. Today, ''Agrionemys horsfieldii'' is currently being accepted.<ref>Khozatsky & Mlynarski (1966)</ref> [[Nucleic acid sequence|DNA sequence]] analysis generally concurs, but not too robustly so.<ref>e.g. Fritz ''et al.'' (2005)</ref> Some sources also list three separate [[subspecies]] of Russian tortoise, but they are not widely accepted by [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomists]]:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Testudo&species=horsfieldii |title=Testudo horsfieldii |website=[[Reptile Database]] |access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref>

* ''A. h. horsfieldii'' ([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1844) – Afghanistan/Pakistan and southern Central Asia
* ''A. h. kazachstanica'' Chkhikvadze, 1988 – Kazakhstan/Karakalpakhstan
* ''A. h. rustamovi'' Chkhikvadze, Amiranschwili & Atajew, 1990 – southwestern Turkmenistan

==Description==
The Russian tortoise is a small tortoise species, with a size range of {{convert|13|-|25|cm|0|abbr=on}}. [[Female]]s grow slightly larger ({{convert|15|-|25|cm|0|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}}) to accommodate more eggs. Males average {{convert|13|-|20|cm|0|abbr=on}}.

They are herbivores and feed on weeds and wild flowers.

Russian tortoises are [[sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]]. [[Male]]s tend to have longer [[tail]]s generally tucked to the side, and longer claws; females have a short, fat tail, with shorter claws than the males. The male has a slit-shaped vent (cloaca) near the tip of its tail; the female has an asterisk-shaped vent (cloaca).
Russian tortoises have four toes. Coloration varies, but the shell is usually a ruddy brown or black, fading to yellow between the scutes, and the body is straw-yellow and brown depending on the subspecies.

The male Russian tortoise courts a female through head bobbing, circling, and biting her forelegs. When she submits, he mounts her from behind, making high-pitched squeaking noises during mating.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://russiantortoise.net/breeding.htm |title=Breeding Russian Tortoises |website=The Russian Tortoise |access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref>

==In captivity==
In captivity, diet typically consists of mustard greens, turnip greens, collards, and kale. Occasionally they will eat many fruits, romaine lettuce, and cabbage. Though many of these things should only be given to them on occasion because they have very low nutritional value.<ref name="diet">{{Cite web|url=http://russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm|title=Russian Tortoise Diet|last=|first=|date=2002|website=russiantortoise.org|publisher=Joe Heinen|access-date=2017-01-07}}</ref>

Water is important for all species, but the tortoise being an arid species typically get water from their food, but they also need a constant supply. Tortoises should be soaked in warm water up to the mid shell. Tortoises typically empty their bowels in water as to hide their scent, this is an instinct, and it also helps keep their enclosure cleaner.<ref name=diet/>

Russian tortoises do not require a [[CITES]] Article X certificate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tortoise & the Law|url=http://www.faunaimportuk.com/info/sale-of-tortoises-the-law|accessdate=18 May 2016}}</ref>

==1968 Moon flight==
In September 1968 two Russian tortoises flew to the Moon, circled it, and returned safely to Earth on the Russian [[Zond 5]] mission. Accompanied by mealworms, plants, and other lifeforms, they were the first Earth creatures to travel to the Moon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/who-was-first-in-the-race-to-the-moon-the-tortoise/266665/ |title=Who Was First in the Race to the Moon? The Tortoise |last=Madrigal |first=Alexis C. |date=27 December 2012 |website=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
:{{EMBL species|genus=Testudo|species=horsfieldii}}
* {{Aut|da Nóbrega Alves, Rômulo Romeu; da Silva Vieira; Washington Luiz & Gomes Santana, Gindomar}} (2008): Reptiles used in traditional folk medicine: conservation implications. ''Biodiversity and Conservation'' '''17'''(8): 2037–2049. {{doi|10.1007/s10531-007-9305-0}} (HTML abstract, PDF first page)
* {{Aut|Fritz, Uwe; Kiroký, Pavel; Kami, Hajigholi & Wink, Michael}} (2005): Environmentally caused dwarfism or a valid species - Is Testudo weissingeri Bour, 1996 a distinct evolutionary lineage? New evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear genomic markers. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''37''': 389–401. {{doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2005.03.007}}
* {{Aut|Khozatsky, L.I. & Mlynarski, M.}} (1966): ''Agrionemys'' - nouveau genre de tortues terrestres (Testudinidae). ''Bulletin de l'Académie Polonaise des Sciences II - Série des Sciences Biologiques'' '''2''': 123-125.
* {{IUCN2006|assessor=Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG)|year=1996|id=21651|title=Testudo horsfieldii|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2d v2.3)
* Alderton, D.: Turtles and Tortoises of the World. New York, New York: Facts on File, 1988.
* Ernst, C. H. and Barbour, R. W.: Turtles of the World. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.
* Highfield, A. C.: Keeping and Breeding Tortoises in Captivity. Avon, England: R & A Publishing, 1990.
* Obst, F. J.: Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1988.
* Pritchard, P. C. H.: Encyclopedia of Turtles. Neptune City, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications. 1979.
* Pursall, B.: Mediterranean Tortoises. Neptune City, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, 1994.
* Wahlquist, H.: Horsfield's tortoise, Agrionemys horsfieldii. Tortuga Gazette 27(6): 1-3, June 1991.

== External links ==
{{Commons|Testudo horsfieldii}}

*[http://www.russiantortoise.org/ Russian (Horsfield's) Tortoise Care Information]
*[http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html Tortoise Forum: Russian Tortoise Care Sheet]
*[http://www.tortoisesupply.com/RussianTortoiseCare Tortoise Supply: Russian Tortoise Care Sheet]
*[http://www.turtletimes.com/ TurtleTimes - Online Resource for Tortoises and Turtles]
*[http://www.popularpets.net/turtles/care-sheets/russian-tortoise.php Popular Pets: Russian Tortoise Care Sheet]
*[http://www.turtlerescues.org/russian_tortoise_care.htm Russian Tortoise Basic Care and some insight]
*[http://photobucket.com/images/russian%20tortoise Pictures, Images and Photos]
*[http://www.russian-tortoise.com/ Russian Tortoise Care and Information Resource]

{{Testudinidae}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russian Tortoise}}
[[Category:Testudo (genus)]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Pakistan|Tortoise, Russian]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Iran|Tortoise, Russian]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1844]]
[[Category:Space-flown life]]
[[Category:Species endangered by the pet trade]]

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