Western Santa Cruz tortoise
Western Santa Cruz tortoise | |
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Conservation status | |
![]() Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2] | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
Family: | Testudinidae |
Genus: | Chelonoidis |
Species: | C. niger |
Subspecies: | C. n. porteri |
Trinomial name | |
Chelonoidis niger porteri (Rothschild, 1903) | |
range on coastal slopes of La Reserva | |
Synonyms | |
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The western Santa Cruz tortoise (Chelonoidis niger porteri)[1] is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. They are found only on the southwestern slopes of the island, with an estimated range of 141 sq. kilometers. There are approximately 3400 individuals in the wild, and have seen rising numbers in population, despite being critically endangered. MtDNA evidence shows that there are actually three genetically distinct populations on Santa Cruz Island. They are characterised by a black, oval carapace (to 130 cm) that is domed, higher in the centre than in the front, and broad anteriorly. Their life expectancy is 175 years.[3]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Gal%C3%A1pagos_tortoise_distribution_map.svg/250px-Gal%C3%A1pagos_tortoise_distribution_map.svg.png)
In 2015, the small, eastern Cerro Fatal population of the island was described as a distinct subspecies, C. n. donfaustoi, most closely related to chathamensis (and forming a clade with it plus abingdoni and hoodensis), while the main southwestern porteri population was found to be closer to the Floreana and southern Isabela tortoises.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b Cayot, L.J.; Gibbs, J.P.; Tapia, W.; Caccone, A. (2017). "Chelonoidis porteri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T9026A82777132. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T9026A82777132.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ Thomson, Scott; Irwin, Steve; Irwin, Terri (March 1998). "Harriet, The Galapagos Tortoise. Disclosing One and a Half Centuries of History". Reptilia. 2: 48–51.
- ^ Marris, E. (2015-10-21). "Genetics probe identifies new Galapagos tortoise species". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2015.18611. S2CID 182351587. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
- ^ Poulakakis, N.; Edwards, D. L.; Chiari, Y.; Garrick, R. C.; Russello, M. A.; Benavides, E.; Watkins-Colwell, G. J.; Glaberman, S.; Tapia, W.; Gibbs, J. P.; Cayot, L. J.; Caccone, A. (2015-10-21). "Description of a New Galapagos Giant Tortoise Species (Chelonoidis; Testudines: Testudinidae) from Cerro Fatal on Santa Cruz Island". PLOS ONE. 10 (10): e0138779. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1038779P. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138779. PMC 4619298. PMID 26488886.
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- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Subclass: Anapsida
- Order: Testudines
- Suborder: Cryptodira
- Superfamily: Testudinoidea
- Family: Testudinidae
Species of the tortoise family |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/95/Desert_tortoise_tds.jpg/175px-Desert_tortoise_tds.jpg)
- Aldabra giant tortoise (subspecies:
- A. g. arnoldi
- †A. g. daudinii
- A. g. hololissa)
- †Aldabrachelys abrupta
- †Aldabrachelys grandidieri
- Chaco tortoise
- Red-footed tortoise
- Yellow-footed tortoise
- †Chelonoidis alburyorum
- †Chelonoidis cubensis
- †Chelonoidis lutzae
- †Chelonoidis monensis
- †Chelonoidis sellovii
- †Chelonoidis sombrerensis
- Cerro Azul giant tortoise
- Chatham Island giant tortoise
- Eastern Santa Cruz tortoise
- Fernandina Island tortoise
- †Floreana Island tortoise
- Hood Island giant tortoise (Diego)
- Santa Fe Island tortoise
- †Pinta Island tortoise †(Lonesome George)
- Santiago Island giant tortoise
- Pinzón Island giant tortoise
- Sierra Negra giant tortoise
- Volcán Alcedo giant tortoise
- Volcán Darwin giant tortoise
- Volcán Wolf giant tortoise
- Western Santa Cruz tortoise
- †Cheirogaster bacharidisi
- †Cheirogaster gymnesica
- †Cheirogaster schafferi
- †Hadrianus corsoni
- †Hadrianus majusculus
- †Hadrianus octonaria
- †Hadrianus robustus
- †Hadrianus schucherti
- †Hadrianus utahensis
- †Hadrianus vialovi
- †Stylemys botti
- †Stylemys calaverensis
- †Stylemys canetotiana
- †Stylemys capax
- †Stylemys conspecta
- †Stylemys copei
- †Stylemys emiliae
- †Stylemys frizaciana
- †Stylemys karakolensis
- †Stylemys nebrascensis
- †Stylemys neglectus
- †Stylemys oregonensis
- †Stylemys pygmea
- †Stylemys uintensis
- †Stylemys undabuna
- Hermann's tortoise
- Kleinmann's tortoise
- Marginated tortoise
- Spur-thighed tortoise
- †Testudo brevitesta
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