Bolson tortoise

Species of reptile

Bolson tortoise

Bolson tortoise

Conservation status

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]

CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Reptilia
Order:  | Testudines
Suborder:  | Cryptodira
Superfamily:  | Testudinoidea
Family:  | Testudinidae
Genus:  | Gopherus
Species:  |

G. flavomarginatus

Binomial name
Gopherus flavomarginatus

Legler, 1959

Synonyms[3]

* Gopherus flavomarginatus Legler, 1959
* Gopherus polyphemus flavomarginatus Wermuth & Mertens, 1961
* Gopherus huecoensis Strain, 1966
* Gopherus flavomarginata Auffenberg, 1974

The Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus), also called the Mexican giant tortoise, Mexican gopher tortoise, yellow-bordered tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six North American tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm (18 in). It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, which is located in north-central Mexico.

## Discovery

[edit]

The Bolson tortoise was discovered only in 1959. The legend is that a group of biologists working in the Bolsón de Mapimí were at a ranch and saw chickens eating out of a large tortoise shell. They inquired about the origin of the shell and the locals responded by saying that it was, "la tortuga grande del desierto", the big turtle of the desert.

In 1979 the 340,000 hectare Mapimi Biosphere Reserve was created to protect the Bolson tortoise and other unique flora and fauna of the Bolsón de Mapimí. Despite this designation, cattle ranching and mining still occur in the reserve. Whether this is detrimental to the tortoise is not known.

## Declining population

[edit]

The most recent research, published in 1991 from data collected in 1983, estimates that fewer than 10,000 tortoises remain in the wild. Populations have declined mostly due to overcollecting for food and the pet trade. Incursion of roads, railroads and agricultural development have accelerated the decline of the species in the last 40 years. In the central portion of its range locals are keenly aware of the tortoise's protected status and aid in its conservation. However, in the northeastern portion of its range, near La Sierra Mojada, populations of the tortoise are low. It is believed that tortoises are still collected and eaten in this area. Additionally, extensive brush clearing operations are being conducted to make way for cattle grazing. In 2008, following the construction of federally subsidized ethanol plants, extensive corn farming operations began within the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve. Farms have been tilled in tortoise habitat, despite its protected status. In 2018, the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group recommended a re-assessment and re-classification of all six Gopherus species.[4] This reclassification would move G. flavomarginatus from Vulnerable (VU) to Critically Endangered (CR)[5]

## Appleton tortoises

[edit]

In the fall of 2006, 26 Bolson tortoises were translocated from the Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in Elgin, Arizona to Ted Turner's Armendaris Ranch in south-central New Mexico, a Chihuahuan desert environment within the prehistoric range of this species. These tortoises, known as the Appleton tortoises in commemoration of Ariel Appleton, a champion of Bolson tortoise conservation, were originally brought to Arizona from Durango, Mexico by Dr. David Morafka in 1973. Four tortoises from the Appleton population were established at the Living Desert Museum in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Both locations have active breeding programs in place.

## Rewilding

[edit]

The Bolson tortoise was recently brought to the world's attention when, in August 2005 an, article on Pleistocene rewilding appeared in the journal Nature (Donlan, et al., 2005) proposing that megafauna that became extinct in North America at the close of the Pleistocene (~12,800 years ago) be reintroduced to the continent to create a Pleistocene Park. The Bolson tortoise was the first species proposed for this restoration effort. The tortoise is unique in that, unlike mammoths, sabre-toothed cats and giant ground sloths, it is not extinct. The Turner Endangered Species Fund, who re-introduced the tortoise to New Mexico, has made it clear that the restoration of the tortoise to the Southwest is an endangered species recovery project and not a rewilding project, although elements of rewilding exist.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kiester, A.R.; Palomo-Ramos, R.; Ríos-Arana, J.; Goode, E.V. (2018). "Gopherus flavomarginatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T9402A112660985. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T9402A112660985.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
3. ^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 281. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
4. ^ Rhodin, Anders G. J.; Stanford, Craig B.; Dijk, Peter Paul Van; Eisemberg, Carla; Luiselli, Luca; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Hudson, Rick; Horne, Brian D.; Goode, Eric V.; Kuchling, Gerald; Walde, Andrew (December 2018). "Global Conservation Status of Turtles and Tortoises (Order Testudines)". Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 17 (2): 135–161\. doi:10.2744/CCB-1348.1. ISSN 1071-8443. S2CID 91937716.
5. ^ Rhodin, Anders G. J.; Stanford, Craig B.; Dijk, Peter Paul Van; Eisemberg, Carla; Luiselli, Luca; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Hudson, Rick; Horne, Brian D.; Goode, Eric V.; Kuchling, Gerald; Walde, Andrew (December 2018). "Global Conservation Status of Turtles and Tortoises (Order Testudines)". Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 17 (2): 135–161\. doi:10.2744/CCB-1348.1. ISSN 1071-8443. S2CID 91937716.

* Kiester, A.R.; Palomo-Ramos, R.; Ríos-Arana, J.; Goode, E.V. (2018). "Gopherus flavomarginatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T9402A112660985. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T9402A112660985.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1d, B1+2bc, C1 v2.3)

## External links

[edit]

Wikispecies has information related to Gopherus flavomarginatus.

* [1]
* [2]

* v
* t
* e

Tortoise family

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Reptilia
* Subclass: Anapsida
* Order: Testudines
* Suborder: Cryptodira
* Superfamily: Testudinoidea
* Family: Testudinidae

Genera|

Species of the tortoise family

Agrionemys|

* Russian tortoise

Aldabrachelys|

* Aldabra giant tortoise (subspecies:
* A. g. arnoldi
* †A. g. daudinii
* A. g. hololissa)
* †Aldabrachelys abrupta
* †Aldabrachelys grandidieri

Astrochelys|

* Angonoka tortoise
* Radiated tortoise
* †Astrochelys rogerbouri

Centrochelys|

* African spurred tortoise
* †Centrochelys atlantica
* †Centrochelys burchardi
* †Centrochelys vulcanica

Chelonoidis|

* Chaco tortoise
* Red-footed tortoise
* Yellow-footed tortoise
* †Chelonoidis alburyorum
* †Chelonoidis cubensis
* †Chelonoidis lutzae
* †Chelonoidis monensis
* †Chelonoidis sellovii
* †Chelonoidis sombrerensis

Galápagos tortoise

Chelonoidis complex

* 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|

* †Cheirogaster bacharidisi
* †Cheirogaster gymnesica
* †Cheirogaster schafferi

Chersina|

* Angulate tortoise

Chersobius|

* Nama padloper
* Karoo padloper
* Speckled padloper

†Cylindraspis|

* †Domed Mauritius giant tortoise
* †Domed Rodrigues giant tortoise
* †Réunion giant tortoise
* †Saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise
* †Saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise

Geochelone|

* Burmese star tortoise
* Indian star tortoise

Gopherus|

* Bolson tortoise
* Desert tortoise
* Goode's thornscrub tortoise
* Gopher tortoise
* Sonoran Desert tortoise
* Texas tortoise

†Hadrianus|

* †Hadrianus corsoni
* †Hadrianus majusculus
* †Hadrianus octonaria
* †Hadrianus robustus
* †Hadrianus schucherti
* †Hadrianus utahensis
* †Hadrianus vialovi

†Hesperotestudo|

* †Hesperotestudo percrassa

Homopus|

* Common padloper
* Greater padloper

Indotestudo|

* Elongated tortoise
* Forsten's tortoise
* Travancore tortoise

Kinixys|

* Bell's hinge-back tortoise
* Forest hinge-back tortoise
* Home's hinge-back tortoise
* Lobatse hinge-back tortoise
* Natal hinge-back tortoise
* Speke's hinge-back tortoise

Malacochersus|

* Pancake tortoise

Manouria|

* Asian forest tortoise
* Impressed tortoise

†Megalochelys|

* †Megalochelys atlas
* †Megalochelys cautleyi
* †Megalochelys margae
* †Megalochelys sondaari

Psammobates|

* Geometric tortoise
* Serrated tortoise
* Tent tortoise

Pyxis|

* Flat-backed spider tortoise
* Spider tortoise

Stigmochelys|

* Leopard tortoise

†Stylemys|

* †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

Testudo|

* Hermann's tortoise
* Kleinmann's tortoise
* Marginated tortoise
* Spur-thighed tortoise
* †Testudo brevitesta

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. Key: †=extinct.

* v
* t
* e

Testudines

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Reptilia
* Clade: Diapsida
* Order: Testudines

Suborder|

| Superfamily|

| Family|

Genus

Cryptodira|

| Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)|

| Cheloniidae|

* †Allopleuron
* Caretta
* †Carolinochelys
* Chelonia
* †Eochelone
* Eretmochelys
* †Gigantatypus
* †Glarichelys
* †Itilochelys
* Lepidochelys
* †Mexichelys
* †Miocaretta
* Natator
* †Pacifichelys
* †Syllomus
* †Tasbacka

|

Dermochelyidae|

* †Arabemys
* †Corsochelys
* †Cosmochelys
* Dermochelys
* †Eosphargis
* †Mesodermochelys
* †Psephophorus

* †Euclastes
* †Peritresius
* †Procolpochelys
* †Protosphargis
* †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea|

| Dermatemydidae|

* Dermatemys

|

Kinosternidae|

* Claudius
* †Hoplochelys
* Kinosternon
* Staurotypus
* Sternotherus

Testudinoidea|

| Emydidae|

* †Acherontemys
* Chrysemys
* Clemmys
* Deirochelys
* Emys
* Actinemys
* Emydoidea
* Glyptemys
* Graptemys
* Malaclemys
* Pseudemys
* Terrapene
* Trachemys
* †Wilburemys

|

Geoemydidae|

* Batagur
* †Banhxeochelys
* Cuora
* Cyclemys
* Geoclemys
* Geoemyda
* Hardella
* Heosemys
* Leucocephalon
* Malayemys
* Mauremys
* Melanochelys
* Morenia
* Notochelys
* Orlitia
* Pangshura
* Rhinoclemmys
* Sacalia
* Siebenrockiella
* Vijayachelys

Platysternidae|

* Platysternon

Testudinidae|

* Aldabrachelys
* Astrochelys
* Centrochelys
* Chelonoidis
* Chersina
* Cylindraspis
* †Cymatholcus
* †Floridemys
* Geochelone
* Gopherus
* †Hadrianus
* †Hesperotestudo
* Homopus
* Indotestudo
* Kinixys
* Malacochersus
* Manouria
* †Megalochelys
* †Oligopherus
* Psammobates
* Pyxis
* †Solitudo
* Stigmochelys
* †Stylemys
* Testudo

Trionychia|

| Carettochelyidae|

* †Allaeochelys
* †Anosteira
* Carettochelys

|

Trionychidae|

* Amyda
* Apalone
* †Axestemys
* Chitra
* Cyclanorbis
* Cycloderma
* †Drazinderetes
* Dogania
* †Gilmoremys
* †Hutchemys
* †Khunnuchelys
* Lissemys
* Nilssonia
* Palea
* †Palaeoamyda
* Pelochelys
* Pelodiscus
* Rafetus
* Trionyx

* †Basilochelys
* †Sinaspideretes

| Chelydridae|

* Chelydra
* †Chelydrops
* †Chelydropsis
* †Emarginachelys
* †Macrocephalochelys
* Macrochelys
* †Planiplastron
* †Protochelydra

|

†Nanhsiungchelyidae|

* †Anomalochelys
* †Basilemys
* †Jiangxichelys

†Protostegidae|

* †Alienochelys
* †Archelon
* †Atlantochelys
* †Bouliachelys
* †Calcarichelys
* †Cratochelone
* †Desmatochelys
* †Iserosaurus
* †Notochelone
* †Ocepechelon
* †Pneumatoarthrus
* †Protostega
* †Rhinochelys
* †Santanachelys
* †Terlinguachelys

* †Adocus
* †Argillochelys
* †Bashuchelys
* †Ctenochelys
* †Prionochelys
* †Toxochelys

Pleurodira|

|  |

| †Araripemydidae|

* †Araripemys

|

†Bothremydidae|

* †Araiochelys
* †Arenila
* †Azabbaremys
* †Bothremys
* †Cearachelys
* †Chedighaii
* †Chupacabrachelys
* †Eotaphrosphys
* †Foxemys
* †Galianemys
* †Ilatardia
* †Inaechelys
* †Itapecuruemys
* †Jainemys
* †Kinkonychelys
* †Kurmademys
* †Labrostochelys
* †Nigeremys
* †Phosphatochelys
* †Polysternon
* †Puentemys
* †Rosasia
* †Rhothonemys
* †Sankuchemys
* †Taphrosphys
* †Ummulisani
* †Zolhafah

Chelidae|

* Acanthochelys
* Chelodina
* Chelus
* Elseya
* Elusor
* Emydura
* Hydromedusa
* †Lomalatachelys
* Mesoclemmys
* Myuchelys
* Phrynops
* Platemys
* †Prochelidella
* Pseudemydura
* Rheodytes
* Rhinemys
* †Yaminuechelys

Pelomedusidae|

* Pelomedusa
* Pelusios

Podocnemididae|

* †Albertwoodemys
* †Bauruemys
* †Brontochelys
* †Caninemys
* †Carbonemys
* †Cerrejonemys
* †Cordichelys
* Erymnochelys
* †Lapparentemys
* †Latentemys
* Peltocephalus
* Podocnemis
* †Stupendemys

†Sahonachelyidae|

* †Sahonachelys
* †Sokatra

|  |

|  |

* †Caribemys
* †Caririemys
* †Tacuarembemys

|

* Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

* See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers

Gopherus flavomarginatus|

* Wikidata: Q304573
* Wikispecies: Gopherus flavomarginatus
* ADW: Gopherus_flavomarginatus
* BOLD: 253657
* CoL: 3H2LG
* ECOS: 6603
* EoL: 456480
* GBIF: 2441819
* iNaturalist: 40084
* IRMNG: 11078700
* ITIS: 202114
* IUCN: 9402
* NCBI: 286002
* Observation.org: 99808
* Open Tree of Life: 1041230
* Paleobiology Database: 105221
* RD: flavomarginatus
* Species+: 9575

Authority control databases: National |

* Israel

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