Texas tortoise

Species of tortoise

Texas tortoise

Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)^[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)^[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Gopherus
Species:	G. berlandieri
Binomial name
*Gopherus berlandieri* (Agassiz, 1857)
Synonyms^[3]
Xerobates berlandieri Agassiz, 1857 Testudo berlandieri — Strauch, 1862 Xerobates gopher berlandieri — Gray, 1873 Testudo tuberculata Berlandier, 1882 (nomen nudum) Gopherus berlandieri — Stejneger, 1893 Gopherus polyphemus berlandieri — Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 Gopherus berlandierii [sic] Reeves, 1975 (ex errore) Scaptochelys berlandieri — Bramble, 1982 Gopherus berlanderi [sic] Rogner, 1996 (ex errore)

The Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species G. berlandieri is one of six species of tortoises that are native to North America.

Geographic range

G. berlandieri is found from southern Texas southward into the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.

Etymology

The specific epithet, berlandieri, is in honor of naturalist Jean Louis Berlandier, who worked for the Mexican government on one of the first biological surveys of Texas.^[1]^[4] As such, some sources refer to it as Berlandier's tortoise.^[4]^[5]

Biology

The Texas tortoise, unlike other species of gopher tortoise, is not an adept burrower. Its preferred habitat is dry scrub and grasslands. Succulent plants, a preferred food of the Texas tortoise, are common in these areas. It especially likes the fruit of cacti such as the prickly pear.

Conservation status

Though considered an animal of low concern by the IUCN Red List, the Texas tortoise is listed as a threatened species in the state of Texas, and thus protected by state law. It is illegal to collect or possess them. The Mexican federal government lists Gopherus berlandieri as A (= Threatened) in Mexico.^[6] Likewise, using Environmental Vulnerability Scores, Gopherus berlandieri scored 18, a high vulnerability species on a scale of 0–20, in evaluations of both Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon herpetofauna.^[7]^[8] In 2018, the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group recommended a re-assessment and re-classification of all six Gopherus species.^[9] This reclassification would move G. berlandieri from Near Endangered (NE) to Near Threatened (NT).^[9]

Gallery

Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), Val Verde Co, Texas, USA (2005).
Gopherus berlandieri, Bee Co. Texas, USA (June 2011).
Gopherus berlandieri, Bee Co. Texas, USA (2011).
Elongated gular scutes of male, Bee Co. Texas, USA (2011).
Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), northern Tamaulipas, Mexico (2007).
Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), Bee Co. Texas, USA (2023).

^ Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). "Gopherus berlandieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T9401A12983179. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9401A12983179.en. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
^ "Appendices". CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.. Note: Protected as a member of the Testudinidae.
^ Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 280–281. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
^ ^a ^b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Berlandier's Tortoise Gopherus berlandieri ", p. 24).
^ Bour, Roger (2016). "Where and when was Jean Louis Berlandier born? Notes on Jean Louis Berlandier. I.". Bibliotheca Herpetologica 12 (1 & 2): 18–40.
^ Official Mexican STANDARD NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, Environmental Protection-Native species of Mexico of wild flora and fauna-Risk categories and specifications for inclusion, exclusion or change-List of species at risk. STANDARD NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 PDF
^ Terán-Juárez, S. A., E. García-Padilla, V. Mata-Silva, J. D. Johnson, and L. D. Wilson (2016). "The herpetofauna of Tamaulipas, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation". Mesoamerican Herpetology 3: 43–113.
^ Nevárez-de los Reyes, M., D. Lazcano, E. García-Padilla, V. Mata-Silva, J. D. Johnson, and L. D. Wilson (2016). "The herpetofauna of Nuevo León, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation". Mesoamerican Herpetology 3: 558–638.
^ ^a ^b Rhodin, Anders G. J.; Stanford, Craig B.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; 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.

References

External links

Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). "Gopherus berlandieri ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996. IUCN: e.T9401A12983179. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9401A12983179.en. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
Species Gopherus berlandieri at The Reptile Database

Texas tortoise
Texas tortoise care sheet

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

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

Galápagos tortoise

Chelonoidis complex

†Cheirogaster

†Cheirogaster bacharidisi
†Cheirogaster gymnesica
†Cheirogaster schafferi

Chersina

Angulate tortoise

†Hadrianus

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

†Hesperotestudo

†Hesperotestudo percrassa

Pancake tortoise

Pyxis

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

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.

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 berlandieri	Wikidata: Q570290 Wikispecies: Gopherus berlandieri ADW: Gopherus_berlandieri BOLD: 253656 CoL: 3H2LF EoL: 456479 GBIF: 2441808 iNaturalist: 40083 IRMNG: 11235369 ITIS: 173857 IUCN: 9401 NatureServe: 2.105830 NCBI: 286003 Observation.org: 99807 Open Tree of Life: 1041231 Paleobiology Database: 105218 RD: berlandieri Species+: 9355