Turtles or turtles are reptiles of the Order Testudines. These animals are characterized by having their body enclosed in a shell, from which their legs, tail and head come out. As in many other reptiles, The genital organs of turtles are not visible to the naked eye, so it is difficult to tell if they are female or male.
Many people have turtles as pets, but it should be made clear that they are not pets and that they may have certain unmet needs when they live together with us, in addition to the he alth problems derived from incorrect handling.
Certain species of turtles are legal to keep as pets, but many of them are already considered invasive species due to the damage caused to native ecosystems by irresponsible ownership and subsequent abandonment, in most cases due to the size that these animals reach, apparently implantable when they are purchased smaller than 5 centimeters.
In this article on our site we will show you how to differentiate a male or female turtle.
How to distinguish a male or female turtle?
Determining the sex of a turtle is a very complicated task, since its sexual organs are not exposed. For a turtle, being male or female is genetically determined, but depending on the temperature at which the embryos develop, there will be more abundance of males or females.
To know what we should pay attention to when establishing the sex of a turtle, the first thing we must know is the species to which it belongs Each species of turtle has different characteristics when it comes to sex. Therefore, first of all, we need to find out what species we are dealing with. After this, we must attend to certain body parts such as the carapace, tail, anal notch or plastron.
BodySize
Like other groups of reptiles, such as lizards and snakes, turtles have a wide range of sexual dimorphism (differences between the sexes), although females have a larger size in most cases, for example, females of the Emydidae family such as the yellow-eared slider (Trachemys scripta scripta), the Geoemydidae family such as the leper pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa) and the family Trionychidae or softshell turtles.
The males are usually larger when we talk about species belonging to the family Testudinidae such as the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni) or the family Kinosternidae such as Sternotherus carinatus, a very common pantoon tortoise in the United States, where it is more popular as a pet than red-eared slider sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans).
When females are larger than males, this difference is between 50 and 60 percent. While in species where the males are larger, the difference does not usually exceed 20 or 30 percent.
Plastron concavity
In certain species, such as the Florida tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and other species of the Testudinidae family, such as the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca), the degree of concavity of the plastron is a characteristic important in determining sex. The plastron is the lower shell of the turtle and the concavity is on the back, roughly between the hind legs.
In males, this gap is more pronounced than in females, but the difference is usually not more than 1 millimeter at most cases, so the observer's eye must be very trained to see the difference.
Size and shape of shell
Many species of European tortoises tend to have differences in the shell depending on whether they are male or female. Thus, it seems that the carapace of the males is usually wider and with a triangular finish, which would give it more stability when copulating. On the other hand, the plastron has two protuberances that are more marked in males than in females, giving the tail more freedom of movement.
Also discover on our site how to know the age of a turtle.
Queue size
In most turtle species, the tail is usually longer in males and wider at the base, as The penis must be housed inside. On the other hand, the cloaca (a reptile organ through which there is access to the excretory and reproductive systems) is closer to the tip of the tail in males and closest to base in females.
Anal notch
The anal notch is the distance that exists, looking at the plastron of a turtle, that is, its "belly", between the end of the plastron and the end of the carapaceIn males, this anal notch is usually larger than in females for many species of tortoises, as they must have greater freedom of movement for the tail, and therefore the penis, to reach the sexual organ of the female.
You may be interested in finding out how turtles reproduce.
PCR Analysis
The most effective way to determine the sex of a turtle is through an analysis of its DNA using a PCR (analytical technique from laboratory). A veterinarian can take blood from the animal, send it to a laboratory and, in a few days, the sex of the turtle will be known for sure.
