What is the classification of a giant tortoise?

What is the classification of a giant tortoise?

Reptiles
Galápagos tortoise/Class

Which is the biggest tortoise in the world?

Living up to its name, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise is the biggest tortoise in the world. They’re also one of the laziest, sleeping for nearly 16 hours a day! Giant Tortoises used to inhabit every continent except Antarctica. Giant Galapagos Tortoises are not all the same, with almost every island of the Galapagos having its own subspecies.

What is the scientific name of the Galapagos tortoise?

The scientific name of the Galapagos tortoise is Chelonoidis nigra, which simply means black, although this species has more of a gray-green color. The Galapagos tortoise is not really a single species at all, but rather a collection of several distinct species all existing under a single taxonomy.

How old was Lonesome George the giant tortoise?

About 100 years old, this giant tortoise is the symbol of the islands and he is a story of the importance of the preservation of species. Lonesome George was a giant tortoise from the island of Pinta in the northern regions of the Galapagos Archipelago.

How big does a male giant tortoise get?

All tortoises have adapted to the vegetation and landscape of their surroundings. Males are bigger than females, and also have a longer and thicker tail where they have their reproductive organ. They can weight to 300k (660lb), are as large as 1.50m (5ft), and reach sexual maturity at the age of 20 to 25 years.

How much does a giant tortoise weigh?

Giant Tortoise are characteristic reptiles that are found on two groups of tropical islands: the Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. These tortoises can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lb) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) long.

How long can giant tortoises live?

Giant tortoises are among the world’s longest-living animals, with an average lifespan of 100 years or more. The Madagascar radiated tortoise Tu’i Malila was 188 at death in Tonga in 1965.

What is the biggest Galapagos tortoise?

The largest species of Tortoise is in fact the Galapagos Tortoise, often reaching enormous size—they can weigh as much as 300 kg (660 lbs) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4 ft) long. The biggest Galapagos tortoises on record reached 880 pounds and over 6 feet long.

What animals live in the Galapagos Islands?

Darwin described the islands a s “living laboratory”, because of its range of unique wildlife. The islands are home to a wide array of wildlife including the famous Galapagos tortoises, turtles, seals, penguins and iguana.

What are large tortoises called?

However, giant tortoises are no longer considered to be classic examples of island gigantism, as similarly massive tortoises are now known to have once been widespread….History.

Island	Española Island
Archipelago	Galápagos Islands
Region	Pacific Ocean
Genus	Chelonoidis
Taxa	Chelonoidis hoodensis (Española giant tortoise)

How many giant tortoise are left?

Two centuries ago, the Galapagos Islands were home to more than 200,000 giant tortoises; today four species are extinct and only 10% of the original number remain.