Chelonoidis niger
| Chelonoidis niger | |
|---|---|
| |
| Chelonoidis niger skeleton at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC | |
Conservation status
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
| Family: | Testudinidae |
| Genus: | Chelonoidis |
| Species: | C. niger
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chelonoidis niger (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Chelonoidis niger, also known as the Floreana giant tortoise or Charles Island giant tortoise, is an extinct species of giant tortoise endemic to the Galápagos archipelago in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean. The specific epithet niger (‘black’) probably refers to the colouration of the holotype specimen.[2]
Taxonomy[]
This tortoise is a member of the Chelonoidis niger species complex, comprising all Galápagos tortoise taxa, of which it is the nominate form.[3]
Description[]
Male tortoises grew to about 138 cm and females to 88 cm in length, with strongly saddlebacked carapaces.[2]
Behaviour[]
The tortoises used to descend to the lower slopes of their volcanic island to graze on new vegetation after wet season rains. They fed on grass, bitterbush and cacti, obtaining water from springs and from cracks in the lava rocks.[2]
Distribution and habitat[]
The tortoise's natural range was limited to 173 km2 Floreana Island (formerly Charles Island) where it inhabited deciduous and evergreen forests.[2]
Conservation[]
The tortoise population of Floreana is estimated to have originally comprised some 8,000 individuals. Extinction occurred during the 1840s or 1850s following overexploitation for food by sailors and settlers, as well as predation and habitat degradation from introduced species, including goats, pigs, dogs, cats, donkeys, and rodents. However, several hybrids between this species and Chelonoidis becki were discovered around Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island, apparently from some of the Floreana tortoises being transported there in the early 19th Century, and there is an ongoing breeding program which is attempting to bring back the Floreana species with De extinction.[2]
References[]
- ^ van Dijk, P.P., Rhodin, A.G.J., Cayot, L.J. & Caccone, A. (2017). "Floreana Giant Tortoise". Red List. IUCN. Retrieved 30 June 2021.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Arteaga, A; Bustamante, L; Vieira, J; Guayasamin, JM (2020). Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Quito: Universidad Tecnológica Indoamereica.
- ^ "Chelonoidis niger (QUOY & GAIMARD, 1824)". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
| show Tortoise family |
|---|
- IUCN Red List extinct species
- Chelonoidis
- Turtles of South America
- Endemic reptiles of the Galápagos Islands
- Reptiles of Ecuador
- Taxa named by Jean René Constant Quoy
- Taxa named by Joseph Paul Gaimard
- Reptiles described in 1824
- Extinct turtles
- Extinct animals of South America
- Reptile extinctions since 1500