Chaco tortoise
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)TFTSG Draft
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Chelonoidis
Species:	C. chilensis
Binomial name
Chelonoidis chilensis (GRAY, 1870)
Synonyms[1]
Testudo (Gopher) chilensis GRAY 1870 Testudo argentina SCLATER 1870 (nomen subst. pro T. chilensis GRAY) Testudo (Chelonoidis) chilensis WILLIAMS 1952 Testudo chilensis WERMUTH & MERTENS 1961 Geochelone chilensis PRITCHARD 1967 Geochelone petersi FREIBERG 1973 Chelonoidis chilensis donosobarrosi FREIBERG 1973 Testudo chilensis KAHL (et al.) 1980: 109 Chelonoidis chilensis IVERSON 1986 Geochelone chilensis ERNST & BARBOUR 1989 Chelonoidis chilensis CEI 1993 Chelonoidis chilensis VARELA & BUCHER 2002 Chelonoidis petersi MCCORD & JOSEPH-OUNI 2004 Chelonoidis chilensis MCCORD & JOSEPH-OUNI 2004 Chelonoidis chilensis CARNOVALE 2005 Chelonoidis chilensis LE (et al.) 2006 Chelonoidis petersi BONIN (et al.) 2006 Geochelone chilensis WINCHELL 2010 Chelonoidis chilensis TTWG 2014: 393

The Chaco tortoise (Chelonoidis chilensis), also known as the Argentine tortoise or southern wood tortoise, is a tortoise from the family Testudinidae.

Distribution[edit]

The common Chaco tortoise, is mainly found in Argentina, but also in Bolivia and Paraguay, mainly within the Chaco and Monte ecoregions. Its distribution is mainly limited by temperature-related variables, and precipitation in the reproductive period.^[2]

Taxonomy[edit]

The scientific name for this species, Chelonoidis chilensis, is misleading because it is not native to Chile. It occurs mainly in Argentina, Bolivia and neighboring Paraguay. When the species was first described by Gray in 1870, he mistakenly thought that Mendoza was in Chile instead of Argentina, thus the misnomer. Sclater corrected his mistake in the same year. However, the rules of nomenclature gave precedence to the name chilensis, even though it was based on an erroneous assumption, and the name persisted.

Description[edit]

The carapace can measure up to 43.3 cm (but usually less than 25 cm) and may be either totally yellowish brown or have dark-brown to black rings surrounding a tan center on each scute. Specimens found further south tend to be much larger than those found in further north populations. The rim of the shell is slightly serrated and has a dark wedge of pigment at the back edge of each scute. The plastron may be uniformly yellowish-brown or have a dark triangular wedge along the seams of each scute. The head, limbs and tail are greyish to yellowish-brown, with the front of each forelimb covered with large, angular scales and each thigh featuring several enlarged tubercles.

Diet[edit]

Like all tortoise species, the chaco tortoise is primarily herbivorous, consuming grasses, shrubs, fruits, and cactus pads.

Species status[edit]

As of right now, there is only one recognized species.^[3] However, some researchers believe C. chilensis should be divided into three species: C. chilensis, C. petersi, and C. donosobarrosi. Some feel that C. petersi is actually a juvenile C. chilensis. Others feel that they are male C. chilensis, the sexual dimorphism in these species having been little studied. Some support C. donosobarrosi as a subspecies (C. c. donosobarrosi). There is research to indicate that it may qualify as a separate species, while C. petersi may just be a variant of C. chilensis, the variances being clinal variations in adjacent populations.^[4]

References[edit]

Bibliography

• Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley; Roger, Bour (2012-12-31). "Turtles of the world, 2012 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status". Chelonian Research Monographs 5: 000.xx. doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v5.2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-04. 

Tortoise family of turtles (Testudinidae) Genus Species of the tortoise family Aldabrachelys Aldabra giant tortoise Astrochelys Angonoka tortoise Radiated tortoise Chelonoidis Yellow-footed tortoise Chaco tortoise Galápagos tortoise Red-footed tortoise Chersina Angulate tortoise Centrochelys African spurred tortoise 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 Gopher tortoise Sonoran Desert tortoise Texas tortoise Homopus Common padloper Nama padloper Karoo padloper Greater padloper Speckled 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 Psammobates Geometric tortoise Serrated tortoise Tent tortoise Pyxis Flat-backed spider tortoise Spider tortoise Stigmochelys Leopard tortoise Testudo Hermann's tortoise Kleinmann's tortoise Marginated tortoise Russian tortoise Spur-thighed tortoise Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2012 update: annotated checklist. Key: †=extinct.