Biology:Chelonoidis niger
| Chelonoidis niger | |
|---|---|
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| Chelonoidis niger skeleton at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
| Family: | Testudinidae |
| Genus: | Chelonoidis |
| Species: | C. niger
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| Binomial name | |
| Chelonoidis niger (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
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| Synonyms | |
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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". IUCN. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/9023/3149101.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Arteaga, A; Bustamante, L; Vieira, J; Guayasamin, JM (2020). Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Quito: Universidad Tecnológica Indoamereica. https://www.tropicalherping.com/science/books/reptiles/reptiles_of_ecuador.html.
- ↑ "Chelonoidis niger (QUOY & GAIMARD, 1824)". Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Chelonoidis&species=niger.
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