The angulate tortoise (Chersina angulata ) is a species of tortoise found in dry areas and coastal scrub vegetation in South Africa. This tortoise is the only known member of the genus Chersina.
A small, shy tortoise with a relatively variable shell, they can often be distinguished by their prominent "bowsprits", which are protrusions of the "gular" shields, from their plastrons under their chins. These are used by males to fight for territory or females. Uniquely, this species has only one gular shield under its chin; all other southern African tortoises have a divided/double scaled gular. Angulate specimens have five claws on their front legs and four on each back leg. They also, like most other southern African tortoises, have a nuchal scute.
If kept in a garden, these tortoises need a sizable warm, sunny, dry, well-drained area, with a diverse range of possible plant foods.
They naturally eat a wide variety of indigenous South African plants and, if kept in a garden, they require a similarly wide range of edible plants available, on which to feed. They will not stay healthy if fed only one food type, such as lettuce.
Plants marked with * are most important to diet.
Grasses as for leopard tortoises: Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon)Eastern Province vlei grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana)Dew grass (Eragrostis pseudo-obtusa)Bushman grass (Schmidtia kalahariensis)Carrot grass (Tragus racemosus)Beesgras (Urochloa pantcoides)Veld grass (Ehrhartacalycina)Darnel rye grass (Lolium temulentum)Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)Mouse barley grass (Hordeum murinum)Crab finger grass (Digitaria sanguinalis)Dallas grass (Paspalum dilatatum)Wintergrass (Poa annua)Dropseed grass (Sporobolus africanus)Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum)Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secondatum)Swazi grass (Digitaria swazilandensis)Alfalfa (Lucerne)
Weeds: (* are most important) Plantago major (Broad leafed plantain)* Plantago lanceolata ( Buckhorn, narrow leafed plantain)*Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion most important)* Cnicus benedictus (Thistle)Galinsoga parviflora (Small flowered quickweed)Opuntia (most types)* Rubus cuneifolius (Sand bramble) PaperthornTribulis terrestris (common dubbeltjie)*Arctotheca calebdula (Cape marigold)Trifolium repens (white clover) Note: becomes toxic when dry. Cerastium capensi (Cape chickweed)*Silybum marianum (Blessed milk thistle)Commelina benghalensis (indigenous wandering Jew)*Clover*
Unsuitable plants high in oxalates: Sedum morganianumSedum frutescensAracea (arum lily)Amaranthus (pigweed)Begonia sppOxalis sppRheum rhabarbarum (rhubarb)Crassulae spp The Chenopodiacea family which includes beet greens, spinach and chard should be avoided as they contain oxalates.
