Sonoran Desert tortoise

Species of tortoise

Sonoran Desert tortoise

Sonoran Desert tortoise, G. morafkai

Conservation status

Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]

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

G. morafkai

Binomial name
Gopherus morafkai

Murphy, Berry, Edwards, Leviton, Lathrop, and Riedle, 2011[2]

The Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai), or Morafka's desert tortoise,[3][4] is a species of terrestrial chelonian reptile of the family Testudinidae (tortoises) native to the Sonoran Desert.

## Taxon history

[edit]

In 2011, using DNA evidence, geography, and behavioral observations, it was concluded that two distinct species of desert tortoise exist on either side (east-west) of the Colorado River:

* the Mojave or Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii); known primarily from the California counties of Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.[5] Its range continues northeast of Death Valley and the Mojave Desert through the Nevada counties of Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln and Nye, as well as Mohave County, in Arizona,[6] and extreme southwestern Utah, near Zion National Park.[7]

* the Sonoran or Morafka's desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai);[8] found east of the Colorado River, primarily in the Arizona counties of Cochise, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai and Yuma.[9] Found in the Sonoran Desert, in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico. The new species' name is in honor of the late Professor David Joseph Morafka of California State University, Dominguez Hills, in recognition of his many contributions to the study and conservation of the genus Gopherus.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Averill-Murray, R.C.; Rosen, P.C.; Jones, C.A.; Jones, T.R.; Lara-Resendiz, R.A.; Edwards, T.; Karl, A.; Berry, K.H. (2023). "Gopherus morafkai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T97246109A97246177. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T97246109A97246177.en. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
2. ^ Rhodin, Anders G.J.; Inverson, John B.; Roger, Bour; Fritz, Uwe; Georges, Arthur; Shaffer, H. Bradley; van Dijk, Peter Paul; et al. (Turtle Taxonomy Working Group) (August 3, 2017). Rhodin A G.J.; Iverson J.B.; van Dijk P.P.; Saumure R.A.; Buhlmann K.A.; Pritchard P.C.H.; Mittermeier R.A. (eds.). "Turtles of the world, 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status(8th Ed.)" (PDF). Chelonian Research Monographs. Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. 7 (8 ed.): 1–292\. doi:10.3854/crm.7.checklist.atlas.v8.2017. ISBN 978-1-5323-5026-9. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
3. ^ a b Gopherus morafkai at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 10 August 2020.
4. ^ "Morafka's Desert Tortoise Gopherus morafkai". iNaturalist. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
5. ^ "Observations • iNaturalist". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
6. ^ "Observations • iNaturalist". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
7. ^ "Observations • iNaturalist". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
8. ^ Genetic Analysis Splits Desert Tortoise into Two Species. US Geological Survey (2011-06-28). Retrieved on 2019-08-22.
9. ^ "Observations • iNaturalist". Retrieved 10 June 2024.

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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.

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* 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 morafkai|

* Wikidata: Q2113453
* Wikispecies: Gopherus morafkai
* BOLD: 922139
* CoL: 3H2LH
* EoL: 20740311
* GBIF: 7704598
* iNaturalist: 101773
* ITIS: 949462
* NatureServe: 2.102195
* NCBI: 1644094
* RD: morafkai
* Species+: 7801
* ZooBank: B4A14033-BD75-4D90-BFD0-CA3C76FB17EF

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