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The Tortuga Gazette January | February 2017

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The Tortuga Gazette January | February 2017 January | February 2017 the Tortuga Gazette Volume 53, Number 1 California Turtle & Tortoise Club founded in 1964 and dedicated to Turtle & Tortoise Preservation, Conservation and Education Chaco tortoise, Chelonoidis chilensis. Photo © 2015 by Chucao. Source: Creative Commons; license CC-BY-SA 4.0. Chaco Tortoise, Chelonoidis chilensis (Gray 1870) The Argentine Tortoiseby M. A. Cohen lso known as the Argentine tor- the South American tortoise genus Che- because it translates as “Chilean” or toise, the southern wood tortoise, lonoidis. Through DNA analysis, scientists “coming from Chile,” the term chilensis is and la tortuga terrestre patagónica have determined that the closest living misleading, yet it persists in the literature [translation: the Patagonia terrestrial tur- relative of the Chaco tortoise is the Galá- and remains in use. Atle], the Chaco tortoise is a comparatively pagos tortoise. rare species endemic to Argentina, Bolivia Because they are distant relatives of the Identification Described as a medium-sized tortoise, and Paraguay in South America. African hingeback tortoises (the genus C. chilensis ordinarily reaches a mature In 1870 British zoologist John Edward Kinixys), chelonian scientists surmise that carapace length of approximately 10 Gray (18??–18??) formally described the the ancestors of the four South American inches (25 centimeters), while the re- new species, originally assigning it to Chelonoidis species “rafted” (floated) from cord carapace length is 17 inches (43.3 the genus Testudo in the family of tor- Africa across the Atlantic Ocean to South centimeters). Variations in carapace color- toises, the Testudinidae. Afterward came America on mats of vegetation. More- ation range from uniform yellow-brown its assignment to the genus Geochelone. over, the ancient tortoises accomplished to dark-brown or black scute edges Subsequently the Chaco tortoise became this feat through their ability to survive surrounding a tan center. In elderly indi- a member to the genus Chelonoidis. for long periods without food or fresh viduals, the carapace usually becomes water (Questionbox, n.d.). uniformly gray (Ernst et al.). The genus Chelonoidis The genus name chelonoidis derives C. carbonaria (the Red-footed tortoise), Coloration of the species’ plastron var- from the Greek root word chelon–, mean- C. chilensis (the Chaco tortoise), C. denticu- ies from uniform yellow-brown scutes to ing a turtle or tortoise. The species name lata (the Yellow-footed tortoise), and C. tan plastral scutes with dark triangular chilensis notwithstanding, the Chaco tor- nigra (the Galápagos tortoise) comprise wedges at the seams of the scutes. The toise is not native to Chile. Consequently, 2 skin of the head, limbs and tail is gen- cool, dry desert known as Patagonia. able of Contents erally yellow-brown in coloration (Ernst As burrowing tortoises, Chaco tor- T Turtle of the Month et al.). toises excavate their shelter sites from Chaco Tortoise Very similar in size and appearance, below sea-level to elevations over Chelonoidis chilensis male and female Chaco tortoises 3,281 feet (1,000 meters), inhabiting display little sexual dimorphism. Ordi- the entire Chaco region excluding the The Argentine Tortoise by M. A. Cohen 1 narily males are slightly smaller than eastern portion in which the most rain- 3 Hibernation Ecology of Bog Turtles – CHS females, and their tails are somewhat fall occurs. In northern Patagonia, the Abstracts longer than those of the females (Ernst coldest portion of the Chaco tortoise’s 4 Where Do Turtles Fit? – International Turtle Genome et al.). range, individuals may spend as many Consortium press release A researcher by the name of M. A. as five months in their burrows or dens 5 Turtle genome analysis sheds light on Freiberg published a paper in 1973 (Ernst et al.). turtle ancestry and shell evolution – RIKEN titled “Dos nuevas tortugas terrestres As with many tortoise species, C. Center press release de Argentina.” Named Geochelone chilensis spends considerable time in 6 Turtle Island Wins Victory for Whales, Dol- donosobarrosi and G. petersi, the paper its burrow or den. In northern Pata- phins & Sea Turtles Threatened by the Cali- described “two new land turtle spe- gonia, burrows studied by researchers fornia Driftnet Fishery for Swordfish – TIRN cies” from Argentina. are some 19.7 to 23.6 inches (50 to 60 press release The 1973 paper notwithstanding, centimeters) in length, with the Chaco 8 Sulcata Tortoises by Mitch Telson chelonian science does not recognize tortoise constructing a new burrow 12 The Turtle’s Garden: Rose of Sharon (Hibis- the larger, oval, thinner-shelled G. don- each spring. While tortoises utilize bur- cus syriacus) by M. A. Cohen osobarrosi and the smaller, elongated, rows as a shelter each night, burrows 13 Missouri to Consider Ban on Unlimited thicker-shelled G. petersi as sister-spe- also serve as a refuge during inclement Commercial Trapping of Wild Turtles – CBD cies or subspecies of C. chilensis. conditions above ground. press release Specifically, sophisticated studies 15 2017 CTTC Directory of the tortoises’ physical forms could SOUTH AMERICA not detect enough differences to justify either a sister-species or a sub- Bolivia in every issue : species designation. Science currently Paraguay regards Geochelone donosobarrosi and 2 Table of Contents G. petersi as synonyms of C. chilensis. 6 Classified Advertisements Furthermore, chelonian scientists now s Membership Information speculate that the larger tortoises may 7 Mike’s Turtle Net Picks by Michael J. Connor, PhD actually represent females while the s Meetings and Programs smaller tortoises may represent males (Ernst et al.). 10 The Turtle’s Garden: Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) by M. A. Cohen Range and Habitat Argentina From southwestern Bolivia and west- ern Paraguay in the north, the range California Turtle & Tortoise Club: a Society Dedicated to of the Chaco tortoise runs southward Turtle & Tortoise Preservation, Conservation and Edu- through Argentina to approximately cation Since 1964. Promoting and Facilitating the Care, Rescue and Adoption of Native and Nonnative Turtles and 40°S latitude in the northern Patagonia Tortoises. region (Ernst et al.). Sparsely inhabited by humans but replete with wildlife, Geographic range of the Chaco tortoise (red area). Range map © 2015 by Chucao. Source Creative Commons; license CC-BY- The Tortuga Gazette (ISSN 1073-1334) is owned by the Cal- the Chaco region of Bolivia, Paraguay ifornia Turtle & Tortoise Club Executive Board, which is SA 4.0. Labeling by MAC. incorporated in the State of California as a Not-for-Profit and northern Argentina encompasses Corporation and is tax-exempt under IRS code 501(c)(3). much of the range of C. chilensis. In contrast, dens are generally deep- All material is copyright © CTTC unless otherwise attrib- The word ‘Chaco’ stems from the er than burrows, with a length greater uted. CTTC policy permits reproduction of articles by Quechua Indian word chaku, meaning than 6.6 feet (2 meters), and tortoises other not-for-profit groups and educational institutions “hunting ground.” The species’ com- when permission is requested. Permission is granted on a utilize their dens over several seasons, case-by-case basis and CTTC must be cited as the source mon name, Chaco tortoise, refers to the including using them as hibernacula. of the material. Chaco region, a semi-arid, subtropical Views expressed in the Tortuga Gazette are those of the zone of lowland forests, savannas, dry Reproduction At about 12 years of age, female contributors and not necessarily those of the Editor or the forests and scrub ecosystems situated Chaco tortoises typically reach repro- California Turtle & Tortoise Club. east of the Andes Mountains. Within ductive maturity. In November and the Chaco region, the species occupies Is your email address changing? December, Chaco tortoises engage the plains and foothill areas. The south- Update your email address through your in courtship and mating. While com- ernmost portion of the Chaco tortoise’s MailChimp account, or send changes/correc- peting for mates, C. chilensis males tions to [email protected] range is the Argentine portion of the Tortuga Gazette Volume 53, Number 1 3 removes as many as CHS Herpetology 2016 50,000 animals from the population annu- Hibernation Ecology of Bog Turtles ally (Ernst, et al.). L. M. Smith and R. P. Cherry [2016, Co- In addition, the peia104(2):475-481] note that information grazing of free-rang- on the hibernation ecology of bog turtles ing livestock poses a (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) throughout their threat to the Chaco range is limited. Few studies have identi- tortoise through com- fied suitable hibernacula or documented petition with the behavior during hibernation including tortoise for available site fidelity, communal hibernation, and food. Moreover, graz- entrance and emergence times. This ing livestock tramples study presents longterm documentation both vegetation and of hibernation in a relatively understud- the tortoises’ burrows. ied portion of the species’ range. From fall Furthermore, defor- 2005 to spring 2014, the authors observed Wild Chaco tortoise, Chelonoidis chilensis, photographed in a dry creek 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) the hibernation of 13 marked turtles in an south of Las Grutas, Rio Negro Province, Patagonia, Argentina. Photo 2015 by Fernando Lopez estation and cultivation Anido. Source: Creative Commons; license CC-BY-SA 4.0. of the Gran Chaco re- isolated population
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