Hood Island giant tortoise

The Hood Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis)[1] is a species of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Española Island in the Galápagos.

Hood Island giant tortoise
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Chelonoidis
Species:
C. hoodensis
Binomial name
Chelonoidis hoodensis
Synonyms
  • Testudo hoodensis Van Denburgh, 1907
  • Geochelone nigra hoodensis (Van Denburgh, 1907)

Population history

This population was very heavily exploited by whalers in the 19th century and collapsed around 1850. 13 adults were found in the early 1970s and held at the Charles Darwin Research Station as a breeding colony. The two males and 11 females were initially brought to the Darwin Station. Fortuitously, a third male (Diego) was discovered at the San Diego Zoo and joined the others in a captive breeding program. Mating had not occurred naturally for some time, because the individuals were so scattered that they did not meet. Following the successful captive breeding program, large numbers have been released back into the wild and are now breeding on their own.[3]

Description

It is one of the smallest species of Galápagos tortoise. Its black, saddle-backed carapace has a deep cervical indentation, the anterior rim only weakly upturned, and posterior marginals downturned and slightly serrated. It is narrow anteriorly and wider posteriorly.

Etymology

Its species name, composed of hood and the Latin suffix -ensis: "who lives in", was given in reference to the place of its discovery, Española Island, which is also called Hood Island.

References
  1. Cayot, L.J.; Gibbs, J.P.; Tapia, W.; Caccone, A. (2017). "Chelonoidis hoodensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T9024A82777079. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  2. Van Denburgh, John (1907). "Preliminary descriptions of four new races of gigantic land tortoises from the Galapagos Islands". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 4th series. 1: 1–6.
  3. Gibbs; Hunter; Torres-Carvajal; Shoemaker; Tapia; Cayot (2014). "Demographic Outcomes and Ecosystem Implications of Giant Tortoise Reintroduction to Española Island, Galapagos". PLOS ONE. 9 (11): e114048. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9k0742G. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110742. PMC 4211691. PMID 25350744.
  • Van Denburgh, 1907 : Expedition of the California Academy of Sciences to the Galapagos Islands, 1905–1906. I. Preliminary descriptions of four new races of gigantic land tortoises from the Galapagos Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, ser. 4, vol. 1, p. 1–6 (texte intégral).
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