Habitat preferences of Testudo graeca, Linnaeus 1758 (Testudines; Testudinidae) with a new locality record from eastern Black Sea region of Turkey

Abstract

Each species is unique in the area it lives in and while they are distributed in these areas, they are affected by many biotic and abiotic variables. These factors both create all the life requirements of the species in the habitats they live in and reveal the ecological barrier of the species between each other. In this presented study, Testudo graecaspecies was recorded for the first time in the Eastern Black Sea region and this record constitutes the most northeast locality in the range of the species. Also, it is given information about determination of vital requirement of species and what are the bioclimatic factors it uses for its distributing in Turkey. This situation shows that T. graecaadapts to various climates and prefers habitat requirements in this direction. As a result, with the present study, we concluded that since Testudo graeca has a wide distribution area, it has been revealed that it may need very different climatic factors to determine its distribution.