Pancake tortoise ... The pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) is a species of flat-shelled tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to Tanzania and Kenya. There are …

The pancake tortoise is unique in the tortoise family, physically and behaviorally. Their shell is unusually thin, flat, and flexible, helping make the pancake tortoise the fastest of the tortoises.

Jul 29, 2024 · Relatively small, with a maximum shell length of 7 inches in adulthood, these reptiles are rather charming to look at. Not only is their shell shape distinct, but they also have …

May 2, 2025 · The Pancake Tortoise possesses several intriguing and unique features that make them a captivating species. They have a flattened shell with a soft bottom that enables them to …

Pancake tortoises are 5-7″ / 13-18cm long, diurnal, terrestrial reptiles most identifiable by their extremely unique shell, which is not only extremely flat for a tortoise, but also unusually flexible!

While the shell bones of most other tortoises are solid, the pancake tortoise has shell bones with many openings. Their carapace is brown with a random pattern of radiating lines on each …

Oct 29, 2025 · The pancake tortoise is from the species Malacochersus tornieri and is actually the very last living member of the Malacochersus class. They are also called the softshell tortoise, …

The pancake tortoise is one of nature’s most unusual reptiles. Its shell is flat, flexible and far lighter than that of other tortoises – an adaptation perfectly suited to the rocky landscapes of …

When these tortoises hatch, they are about an inch long and have a domed shell much like other species of tortoise. The shell flattens out as the tortoise grows.

Malacochersus tornieri Pancake Tortoise Habitat: • Tropical, isolated rocky hill and outcropping microhabitats in semi-arid and arid thornbush savannas