The Ozarks. The Saint Francois Mountains, viewed here from Knob Lick Mountain, are the geologic core of the Ozarks. The Ozarks (also referred to as Ozarks Mountain Country, the Ozark Mountains or the Ozark Plateau) are a physiographic, geologic, and cultural highland region of the central United States.
Pyramiding in Tortoises. Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis ) with severe pyramiding. click on the photo for a better view. Pyramiding is a form of metabolic bone disease (MBD). It is characterized by a build up or stacking of keratin in the scutes. In advanced cases the shell becomes soft and flattens out. The above tortoise was rescued from horrible conditions.
Pyramiding is the raising of scutes during active growth periods in tortoises. As a tortoise grows normally each scute increases in size horizontally thus increasing the overall diameter of each scute and the size of the tortoise. During normal growth this scute enlargement will lead to smooth growth.