Origin

• In
  Introduced
• Na
  Native

• En
  Endemic

  Taxon occurs only in Galapagos.

• Hy
  Hypothetical
• Id
  Indigenous
• Mi
  Migrant
• EnQ
  Questionable Endemic
• Re
  Resident
• Va
  Vagrant

IUCN Status

Endangered - Considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Distribution

Regions: Santiago.

Distribution Comments: Restricted to Santiago Island.

Please be aware that this distribution map is automatically generated from database records (CDF and external specimens, literature records, and observations) and may not accurately reflect the currently-known distribution for all species.

Literature

• Caccone, A., Powell, J. (2009) Giant Tortoises. Mapping their genetic past and future. In: T. De Roy (ed.): Galápagos. Preserving Darwin´s Legacy. Bateman, Albany, New Zealand, p. 98-105.
• Caccone, A., Gibbs, J.P., Ketmaier, V., Suatoni, E. and Powell, J.R. (1999) Origin and evolutionary relationships of giant Galapagos tortoises. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 96(23): 13223-13228.
• Carrillo, E., Aldás, S., Altamirano, M., Ayala, F., Cisneros, D., Endara, A., et al. (2005) Lista roja de los reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Milenium, IUCN-Sur, IUCN-Comité Ecuatoriano, Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Serie Proyecto PEEPE. Quito, Ecuador.
• Ernst, C.H., Barbour, r.W. (1989) Turtles of the world. Smithsonian Instit. Press. USA 313 pp.
• Fritts, T.H. (2001) A brief review of the taxonomic history of Galapagos Tortoise relevant to consideration of the most appropiate generic and specifc name for Giant Tortoises in Galapagos. U.S. Geological survey Report. 7 pp.
• IUCN (2010) IUCN Red list of threatened species. Version 2010.1. www.iucnredlist.org
• Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G., Milstead, B., Márquez, C., Zabala, J., Buitrón, P., Llerena, A., et al. (2007) Galapagos vertebrates: endangered status and conservation actions. Galapagos Report 2006–2007: 104–110. Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora.
• Le, M., Raxworthy, C.J., McCord, W.P., Mertz, L. (2006) A molecular phylogeny of tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40 (2006) 517–531
• Márquez, C., Wiedenfeld, D.A., Snell, H.L., Fritts, T., MacFarland, C., Tapia, W., & Naranjo, S. (2004) Population status of Giant Land Tortoises (Geochelone spp., Chelonya: Testudinae) from the Galapagos Islands. Ecología Aplicada 3 (1, 2): 98-111.
• Poulakakis, N., Glaberman, S., Russello, M., Beheregaray, L.B., Ciofi, C., Powell, J.R. & Caccone, A. (2008) Historical DNA analysis reveals living descendants of an extinct species of Galápagos tortoise. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 105(49): 15464-15469.
• Pritchard, P.C.H. (1996) The Galapagos tortoises: Nomenclatural and survival status. Chelonian research monographs No. 1. Chelonian Research Foundation.
• Russello M.A., Poulakakis, N., Gibbs, J.P., Tapia, W., Benavides, E., Powell, J.R., Caccone, A. (2010) DNA from the Past Informs Ex Situ Conservation for the Future: An ‘Extinct’’ Species of Gala´pagos Tortoise Identified in Captivity. PLoS ONE 5(1): e8683. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008683
• Slevin, J.R. (1935) An account of the reptiles inhabiting the Galapagos Islands. Bulletin New York Zoological Society 1(38): 3-24.
• Van Denburgh, J. (1907) Preliminary descriptions of four new races of gigantic land tortoises from the Galapagos Islands. Expedition of the California Academy of Sciences to the Galápagos Islands, 1905-1906. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 1: 1-6.
• Van Denburgh, J. (1914) The gigantic land tortoises of the Galápagos archipelago. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 2, part 1: 203–374, pls. 12-124.