<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Galapagos tortoise</h1>
Galapagos tortoise (scientific name: Chelonoidis 'galapagoensis'): The largest tortoise, there are 14 species, the dorsal carapace is raised, the top of the head has symmetrical scales, the skull is shorter, the scales are not connected to the parietal bone, the frontal bone may not enter the orbit, the retroorbital bone degenerates or almost disappears; the posterior part of the square bone is usually closed and completely surrounds the stirrup bone; the upper jawbone is almost connected to the square yoke, and the upper jaw chewing surface has or does not have a central ridge. The dorsal ventral carapace is firmly connected by a bone slit through a bridge. The limbs are stout and cylindrical. The finger and phalanges do not exceed 2 segments, with claws, and no webbing. Odorless glands.
Plant-feeding, eat cacti and fruits, pineapples, ferns, leaves and grasses. Can live in a drier environment. It is also a very slow-moving animal, only able to move 260 meters per hour. It is found only on the 14 islands of the Galapagos Islands.
Two of the species' most famous individuals are George the Lone and Diego the Tortoise.
Chinese scientific name Galapagos tortoise Latin scientific name Chelonoidis 'galapagoensis' is also known as the Galapagos Islands South American tortoise kingdom animal kingdom phyla chordate phylum Phylum Phytophthalate Phytophates Phytophates Phytophates subphylum Reptile turtle turtle order
Suborder Girths necked turtle suborder Tortoise family South American tortoise subgenus Galapagos tortoise subspecies [1] Namer and Age Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 English name Galapagos Giant Tortoise Protected Level Critically Endangered 6 Species; Endangered 3 Species; Vulnerable) 3 Species; Extinct 2 Species; IUCN Standard II
The Galapagos tortoise is the largest extant tortoise. With a body length of 1.2 meters, adult tortoises are larger than females, with adult males weighing about 272-320 kg, while females weigh 136-180 kg. Life expectancy is estimated at 200 years. The head is large and the neck is long. Dorsal armor center high long, vertebral shield 5 pieces; rib shield 4 pieces on each side; edge shield 9 pieces on each side, the anterior and posterior edges are slightly serrated, slightly upward upwards; neck shield 1 piece; hip shield single piece, larger. The limbs are stout and columnar. The dorsal carapace , limbs , and head and tail are yellow to bluish-black , and some individuals have irregular dark spots in the vertebral shield and rib shield , and the skin is loose.
Galapagos tortoises have a large, heavy, bony brown dorsal carapace. The shell plate is indispensable for the rigid protection of the ribs in the skeleton structure. The pattern on the shell of the tortoise maintains the characteristics of a shield (shell segment), although the degree of wear of the outer layer varies over time, but it is not applicable to the definite age brought about by the annual growth. But the dorsal shell acts well on the head, neck and forelimbs of a turtle that can be withdrawn. The legs are large and stubby, with dry scales and hard scales. The front legs have five claws and the hind legs have four.
Galapagos tortoises are both sexually alien, most notably hermaphroditic in populations of the shell horseback type, with males having more angles and higher anterior openings, allowing them to carry a more extreme appearance. Male turtles of all subspecies generally have a longer tail and shorter concave thickened edges of the shell tail for mating.
Due to the obvious differences in the ecological environment of different islands in the Galapagos Islands, different subspecies of tortoises have different forms, showing different types of carapace shapes. The range of morphology exhibited by its dorsal carapace is divided into "horseback" (indicating an upward arch shell, with an leading edge similar to a saddle) and "dome" (representing a round convex surface, similar to a dome). There are also intermediate types between the saddle or the dome. The larger islands, at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, have abundant vegetation on the ground near the wet highlands of Santa Cruz Island. Tortoises native to these environments tend to have larger dome shells and shorter necks and limbs. Saddle-shaped back-shelled tortoises come from small islands less than 500 metres above sea level, have dry habitats and limited food and other resources. [3-4]
<h2 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > habitat</h2>
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The Horseback carapace structure of the Galapagos tortoise lives in areas with tall vegetation, such as the Galapagos Cactus, where cacti grow in arid environments where cacti balls grow. Larger Galapagos tortoises are better suited to higher elevations because they can resist slightly cooler and cloudy climates. It generally lives on larger and wetter islands and at lower elevations. Galapagos tortoises migrate seasonally between the rainy and dry seasons, from the grasslands to areas up to 600 metres above sea level. The same migration route has been created by many generations of turtles as a forest passage, which is defined as a "turtle highway". On those rainy islands, turtles with dorsal domes are more gregarious, often found in large groups, saddle-type turtles in relative isolation and solitude in their territories. [4]
< h2 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > life habits</h2>
Galapagos tortoise (33 photos)
Rapagos tortoises are warm animals (cold-blooded animals), so after dawn to absorb the heat of the sun, to dry for 1-2 hours a day, a day to feed to take 8-9 hours, mostly in the early morning activities and walking, rest in the evening. The walking speed of the observed species is 0.3 km/h. The way they sometimes rest is to roll in mud puddles formed by rainwater, which may be on cool nights, protecting their bodies from bites from parasites such as mosquitoes and ticks. Parasites can also be eliminated in loose soil dust baths.
Galapagos tortoises are herbivores with a diet that includes cacti, grass, leaves, moss, lichens, and berries. Guava, ferns, and bromeliads have also been documented, with an average daily diet of 32-36 kg, but inefficient digestive system makes nutrient absorption very limited. The water in their bodies is mainly drawn from dew and plant sap, especially cactus plants. Galapagos tortoises can stay out of water for long periods of time and survive for up to 18 months if deprived of all food and water. When they are thirsty, they drink large amounts of water very quickly, stored on the "pericardium" on their bladder or neck, which are the source of water for the species. On arid islands, turtles lick the morning dew on boulders, because generations of giant tortoises have repeatedly licked and formed semi-circle-shaped puddles on these rocks.
< h2 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > distribution range</h2>
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It is found in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, a South American country. [5]
Galapagos tortoise distribution map [6]
Note: The location numbers marked on the Galapagos tortoise distribution map are consistent with the numbers of the subspecies differentiation terms.
<h2 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > breeding method</h2>
Galapagos tortoises can breed at any time of the year, but in humid highlands, the peak period is from February to June during the rainy season. Mature males will show their superiority during the mating season, standing up with stout legs, stretching their long necks, and occasionally head bumps and bites, but usually in a shorter period of time it is possible to determine the right to mating and recognize the winner.
The prelude to mating is very positive, with the male forcefully pressing the female with his shell and biting her leg. Stretch your limbs and nervously maintain a tilted position. The concave underside of the male's shell helps it balance, and the male will place a cloaca vent (which houses the penis) close to the female's dilated cloaca. During mating, the males make sounds with hoarse rhythmic moans, and other sounds also occur in active contact.
During the breeding season from July to November, adult turtles travel several kilometres to reach nesting areas on dry and sandy coasts. Nest digging is a tiring and complex task, and females have to do it for hours a day, which can take days to complete. They first dig a cylindrical hole 30 cm deep with their hind limbs, then lay 16 hard-shell eggs weighing from 82 to 157 grams, after laying eggs, the female turtle plugs the nest hole with muddy soil and urine, compacts and seals it with its abdominal carapace, and then naturally hatches and cultures by the sun. Female turtles may dig 1-4 ovaries per breeding season. Temperature plays an absolute role in the sex of the larvae, with nesting at lower temperatures producing more males and nesting at higher temperatures producing more females.
Galapagos tortoises can be sex-identified at about 15 years of age, reaching sexual maturity in about 20-25 years and reaching the standard size of a body in the wild for 40 years. With a life expectancy of more than 100 years in the wild, it is one of the longest-lived species in the animal kingdom. Harriet, a specimen preserved at Australia Zoo, is the oldest known Galapagos tortoise, estimated to be over 170 years old when she died in 2006. [4] [7]
<h2 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > species differentiation</h2>
<h3 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > 2020 classification</h3>
Chinese name scientific name named by the age 1 Pinta Island tortoise Chelonoidis abingdonii Günther, 18772 Wolf Volcano tortoise Chelonoidis becki Rothschild, 19013 San Cristobal Island tortoise Chelonoidis chathamensis Van Denburgh, 19074 São Thiago Island tortoise Chelonoidis darwini Van Denburgh, 19075 East Santa Cruz tortoise Chelonoidis donfaustoi Poulakakis, Edwards and Caccone in Poulakakis et al., 20156 Pinamashima tortoise Chelonoidis duncanensisGarman in Pritchard, 19967 Negra volcanic tortoise Chelonoidis guntheriBaur, 18898 Ayspanora island tortoise Chelonoidis hoodensis Van Denburgh, 19079 Darwin volcanic tortoise Chelonoidis microphyes Günther, 187510 Frélianna island tortoise Chelonoidis nigerQuoy and Gaimard , 182411 Fernandina tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus Van Denburgh, 190712 West Santa Cruz Island tortoise Chelonoidis porteriRothschild, 190313 Arcedo volcanic tortoise Chelonoidis vandenburghi DeSola, 193014 Cerro Azul tortoise Chelonoidis vicinaGünther, 1875
[2]
<h3 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > 2018 classification</h3>
Galapagos tortoise genus (9 species) Chinese nomenclature English name 1 Pinta Island Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis abingdonii Pinta Giant Tortoise [8] 2 Wolf Volcano Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis beckiVolcan Wolf Giant Tortoise [9] 3 San Cristobal Island Galapagos Tortoise Chelonoidis chathamensisSan Cristobal Giant Tortoise [10] 4 São Tiago Island Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis darwiniSantiago Giant Tortoise [11] 5 Pinnoidis duncanensisPinzon Giant Tortoise [12] 6 Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis hoodensis Española Giant Tortoise [13] 7 Frélianna Island Galapagos Tortoise NigraFloreana Giant Tortoise [14] 8 Santa Cruz Island Galapagos Tortoise Chelonoidis porteriWestern Santa Cruz Giant Tortoise [15] 9 Isabela Southern Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis vicina South Sououthern Isabela Giant Tortoise [16]
< h3 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > historical classification</h3>
Galapagos tortoise (12 subspecies) Chinese nomenclature IUCN level 1.Galapagos tortoise Pinta Island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni extinction 2 Galapagos tortoise Wolf Volcano subspecies Chelonoidis nigra becki endangered 3.Galapagos tortoise San Cristobal Island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra Chathamensis vulnerable 4.Galapagos tortoise Sant'Tiago Island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra darwini endangered 5.Galapagos tortoise Pinson Island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra duncanensis extinct in the wild 6.Galapagos tortoise Negra volcano subspecies Chelonoidis nigra Guntheri endangered 7.Galapagos tortoise Spanish island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra hoodensis critically endangered 8.Galapagos tortoise Darwin volcano subspecies Chelonoidis nigra microphyes vulnerable 9.Galapagos tortoise nominate subspecies Chelonoidis nigra nigra extinction 10.Galapagos tortoise Santa Cruz island subspecies Chelonoidis nigra Porteri Endangered 11.Galapagos tortoise Arcodoa Volcano subspecies Chelonoidis nigra vandenburghi Vulnerable 12 Galapagos tortoise Cerro Azul Volcano subspecies Chelonoidis nigra vicina is frequently endangered
<h2 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > conservation status</h2>
<h3 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > protection level</h3>
All are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2015 ver2.3 – No Threatened (LC).
Critically Endangered (CR) – 6 species; Endangered (EN) – 3 species; Vulnerable (VU) – 3 species; Extinction (EX) – 2 species. [17]
All are listed as protected animals in the CITESI level of the Washington Convention. [18]
< h3 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > population status</h3>
When Darwin first arrived in the Galapagos Islands, there were about 250,000 Galapagos tortoises, and by 1996 only 15,000 remained. The main reason for the sharp decline in numbers was that whalers and pirates in the 18th and 19th centuries often caught tortoises as food on ships.
To protect these precious species, the Galapagos National Park Service system culled the island's wild predators and competitors, removing goats from the island that had destroyed vegetation.
The breeding and conservation program, which began in 1965, has successfully reduced 7 to 8 endangered subspecies to dangerously low number levels. Young turtles are bred in several island breeding centers to improve their fragile survival status during their early growth. Collecting vulnerable turtle eggs from nesting sites provides a good start for hatchlings, which grow until they are four to five years old and then released around their home areas so that they have a better chance and space to grow into turtles.
The most significant and effective population recovery is the Spanish island subspecies (Chelonoidis nigra hoodensis), which has been preserved from the brink of extinction. Initially, there were only 3 male turtles and 12 female turtles, although widely dispersed, but no wild matches occurred. The Darwin Research Station captive the 15 remaining turtles, and the breeding program took place in 1971, and over the next 33 years, the offspring they produced were released to their original home island, naturally reproducing to more than 1,200 offspring. [19]
According to foreign media reports, the world's last galapago tortoise subspecies Pinta Island turtle died in Ecuador, South America on the 24th local time, the initial estimate is about 100 years old, the relevant personnel in the local park will conduct an autopsy to finally determine the cause of death.
The elderly turtle, named "Lone george," is also believed to be the last Galapago tortoise subspecies, the Pinta Island turtle, which has been in the park for nearly 40 years and has been plagued by a lack of interest in the opposite sex, which has repeatedly prompted it to mate with female turtles of similar species and failed.
The Galapagos tortoise, which is mainly distributed in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, is known as the tortoise because of its large size, and its longest lifespan can reach 200 years.
On February 17, 2019, a joint expedition discovered a female Galapagos tortoise that was once thought to be extinct on the island of Fernándina in Ecuador. The expedition scientists said that as early as a century ago, the Galapagos tortoise on Fernandina Island was thought to be extinct due to volcanic activity, and there was no trace of the species after that, and this discovery is very important, which may mean a change in the living state of a species. Scientists say the female tortoise has been largely identified as the Galapagos tortoise on Fernandina Island. On the 19th local time, the expedition team took it to the Galapagos Islands National Park with a boat, and scientists will reconfirm the species to which the tortoise belongs through genetic research. The national park will then send another expedition to Fernandina Island, and if another tortoise of the same species can be found, an artificial breeding project will be launched immediately. Investigators said they had found traces of the tortoise's life in some areas of Fernandina Island.