Chelonoidis niger microphyes, also known as the Volcán Darwin giant tortoise, Darwin Volcano giant tortoise or Tagus Cove giant tortoise, is a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to the Galápagos archipelago in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean. The specific epithet microphyes (“small when full-grown”) is based on the mistaken assumption by describer Albert Günther that the holotype specimen (with a carapace length of only 57.2 cm) was of an adult male.[3]
| Chelonoidis niger microphyes | |
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| Chelonoidis microphyes | |
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: | |
| Subspecies: | C. n. microphyes
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| Trinomial name | |
| Chelonoidis niger microphyes (Günther, 1875)
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| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy
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
editThe tortoises feed on grass, leaves, berries and lichens in the wet season, and mainly cacti in the dry season.[3]
Breeding
editMale 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
edit
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]
References
edit- ^ 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) - ^ "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 Tecnológica Indoamereica.
- ^ "Chelonoidis microphyes (GÜNTHER, 1875)". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 28 June 2021.