The yellow cheek-patches of the Hermann's tortoise (Reptilia, Chelonia): Sexual dimorphism and relationship with body condition

摘要: Males and females of Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) exhibit a conspicuous yellow patch on both their cheeks, whose origin potential function are totally unknown. In this study, we measured the extent colour intensity these patches in 29 male 19 female tortoises order to test for sexual difference features. addition, analysed relationships between features body condition investigate possible ornaments as status signals. We detected symmetric all sampled females, while five males did not show at ornament, two had only left cheek. Although head scale size, well RGB values, differ sexes, were significantly larger than those males. cheek was correlated condition, suggesting that may have evolved honest signals quality through selection processes driven by female–female contests over rank or mate choice.