This tortoise is a subspecies of Chelonoidis niger, and is sometimes considered to be a distinct species of its own. The type locality is Tagus Cove, near the base of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island.[4]
Descriptionedit
Male tortoises grow to about 135 cm and females to about 86 cm in length, with domed carapaces.[3]
Behaviouredit
The tortoises are mainly active in the early morning and late afternoon, resting in shade during the hottest part of the day and sleeping beneath shrubs at night. After heavy rain they wallow in muddy pools. Adults migrate seasonally from the caldera of the volcano to its lower slopes to graze on vegetation after wet season rains.[3]
Feedingedit
The tortoises feed on grass, leaves, berries and lichens in the wet season, and mainly cacti in the dry season.[3]
Breedingedit
Male tortoises compete with each other by extending their necks, gaping, biting and pushing. They utter loud guttural noises while mating. Females start nesting in May and June at the end of the wet season.[3]
Distribution and habitatedit
The tortoise's range is limited to an area of about 67 km2 on the south-western slope of Darwin Volcano on the northern part of Isabela Island. There it inhabits deciduous and evergreen forests as well as dry grassland.[3]
Conservationedit
The tortoise population is estimated to comprise some 500–1,000 mature individuals, a decline of 94% since 1840, and the subspecies is considered to be Endangered. The tortoises were historically overexploited for food and oil by sailors and settlers. Ongoing threats include predation of eggs and hatchlings and competition for food by introduced animals, including feral dogs, feral cats, rats, mice, domestic pigs and goats, as well as habitat degradation and volcanic eruptions.[3]
Referencesedit
^Cayot, L.J., Gibbs, J.P., Tapia, W. & Caccone, A. (2018). "Volcán Darwin Giant Tortoise". Red List. IUCN. Retrieved 27 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ abcdefgArteaga, A; Bustamante, L; Vieira, J; Guayasamin, JM (2020). Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Quito: Universidad Tecnológica Indoamereica.
^"Chelonoidis microphyes (GÜNTHER, 1875)". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
April 18, 2024
chelonoidis, niger, microphyes, also, known, volcán, darwin, giant, tortoise, darwin, volcano, giant, tortoise, tagus, cove, giant, tortoise, subspecies, galápagos, tortoise, endemic, galápagos, archipelago, equatorial, eastern, pacific, ocean, specific, epith. Chelonoidis niger microphyes also known as the Volcan Darwin giant tortoise Darwin Volcano giant tortoise or Tagus Cove giant tortoise is a subspecies of Galapagos tortoise endemic to the Galapagos archipelago in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean The specific epithet microphyes small when full grown is based on the mistaken assumption by describer Albert Gunther that the holotype specimen with a carapace length of only 57 2 cm was of an adult male 3 Chelonoidis niger microphyes Chelonoidis microphyes Conservation status 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 microphyes Trinomial name Chelonoidis niger microphyes Gunther 1875 Synonyms Testudo microphyes Gunther 1875 Geochelone elephantopus microphyes Pritchard 1967 Chelonoidis elephantopus microphyes Obst 1986 Geochelone nigra microphyes Iverson 1992 Geochelone microphyes Cisneros Heredia 2006 Chelonoidis microphyes TTWG 2017 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Behaviour 3 1 Feeding 3 2 Breeding 4 Distribution and habitat 5 Conservation 6 ReferencesTaxonomy editThis tortoise is a subspecies of Chelonoidis niger and is sometimes considered to be a distinct species of its own The type locality is Tagus Cove near the base of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island 4 Description editMale tortoises grow to about 135 cm and females to about 86 cm in length with domed carapaces 3 Behaviour editThe tortoises are mainly active in the early morning and late afternoon resting in shade during the hottest part of the day and sleeping beneath shrubs at night After heavy rain they wallow in muddy pools Adults migrate seasonally from the caldera of the volcano to its lower slopes to graze on vegetation after wet season rains 3 Feeding edit The tortoises feed on grass leaves berries and lichens in the wet season and mainly cacti in the dry season 3 Breeding edit Male tortoises compete with each other by extending their necks gaping biting and pushing They utter loud guttural noises while mating Females start nesting in May and June at the end of the wet season 3 Distribution and habitat editThe tortoise s range is limited to an area of about 67 km2 on the south western slope of Darwin Volcano on the northern part of Isabela Island There it inhabits deciduous and evergreen forests as well as dry grassland 3 Conservation editThe tortoise population is estimated to comprise some 500 1 000 mature individuals a decline of 94 since 1840 and the subspecies is considered to be Endangered The tortoises were historically overexploited for food and oil by sailors and settlers Ongoing threats include predation of eggs and hatchlings and competition for food by introduced animals including feral dogs feral cats rats mice domestic pigs and goats as well as habitat degradation and volcanic eruptions 3 References edit Cayot L J Gibbs J P Tapia W amp Caccone A 2018 Volcan Darwin Giant Tortoise Red List IUCN Retrieved 27 June 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 a b c d e f g Arteaga A Bustamante L Vieira J Guayasamin JM 2020 Reptiles of Ecuador Life in the middle of the world Quito Universidad Tecnologica Indoamereica Chelonoidis microphyes GUNTHER 1875 Reptile Database Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann Retrieved 28 June 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chelonoidis niger microphyes amp oldid 1088857860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
