 If the eastern Maghreb tortoises are regarded as a distinct species, it is not unlikely that the Libyan population is united with them as a subspecies.On Sardinia, a population of Greek tortoises shares the small size, the yellow head spot, and the contrasting markings with the Tunisian population.Their taxonomic status is enigmatic, as is their very existence on the island, separated from North Africa by a considerable stretch of the Mediterranean which tortoises are hardly able to cross.