Aldabra giant tortoise

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Aldabra giant tortoise
Giant Tortoise.JPG
Beauval Zoo, France
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Aldabrachelys
Species:
A. gigantea
Binomial name
Aldabrachelys gigantea
(Schweigger, 1812)
Synonyms [3]
(video) A pair of Aldabra giant tortoises at Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan

The Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae and genus Aldabrachelys . The species is endemic to the Seychelles, with the nominate subspecies, A. g. gigantea native to Aldabra atoll. It is one of the largest tortoises in the world. [7] Historically, giant tortoises were found on many of the western Indian Ocean islands, as well as Madagascar, and the fossil record indicates giant tortoises once occurred on every continent and many islands with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. [8]

Contents

Many of the Indian Ocean species were thought to be driven to extinction by over-exploitation by European sailors, and they were all seemingly extinct by 1840 with the exception of the Aldabran giant tortoise on the island atoll of Aldabra. [9] Although some remnant individuals of A. g. hololissa and A. g. arnoldi may remain in captivity, [9] in recent times, these have all been reduced as subspecies of A. gigantea. [3]

Description

A skeleton of Aldabra giant tortoise found on Cousin Island (Seychelles) TortoiseSkeleton.jpg
A skeleton of Aldabra giant tortoise found on Cousin Island (Seychelles)

The carapace of A. gigantea is a brown or tan in color with a high, domed shape. The species has stocky, heavily scaled legs to support its heavy body. The neck of the Aldabra giant tortoise is very long, even for its great size, which helps the animal to exploit tree branches up to a meter from the ground as a food source. Similar in size to the famous Galápagos giant tortoise, its carapace averages 122 cm (48 in) in length. Males have an average weight of 250 kg (550 lb). [10]

Females are generally smaller than males, with average specimens measuring 91 cm (36 in) in carapace length and weighing 159 kg (351 lb). [11] Medium-sized specimens in captivity were reported as 70 to 110 kg (150 to 240 lb) in body mass. [12] Another study found body masses of up to 132 kg (291 lb) most commonplace. [13]

Nomenclature and systematics

This species is widely referred to as Aldabrachelys gigantea, but in recent times, attempts were made to use the name Dipsochelys as Dipsochelys dussumieri. After a debate that lasted two years with many submissions, the ICZN eventually decided to conserve the name Testudo gigantea over this recently used name (ICZN 2013). [14] This also affected the genus name for the species, establishing Aldabrachelys gigantea as nomen protectum .

Four subspecies are currently recognized. [3] A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Aldabrachelys:

The subspecific name, daudinii, is in honor of French zoologist François Marie Daudin. [16]

Genetic evidence suggests that A. gigantea is most closely related to the extinct giant tortoise Aldabrachelys abrupta from Madagascar, from which it is estimaged to have diverged from approximately 4.5 million years ago. [17]

Range and distribution

An isolated population resides on Changuu island in Zanzibar Aldabra giant tortoises on Changuu.jpg
An isolated population resides on Changuu island in Zanzibar

The main population of the Aldabra giant tortoise resides on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. The atoll has been protected from human influence and is home to some 100,000 giant tortoises, the world's largest population of the animal. [18] Smaller populations of A. gigantea in the Seychelles exist on Frégate Island and in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park (e.g. Moyenne Island), [19] where they are a popular tourist attraction.

Another isolated population of the species resides on the island of Changuu, near Zanzibar. Other captive populations exist in conservation parks in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The tortoises exploit many different kinds of habitat, including grasslands, low scrub, mangrove swamps, and coastal dunes.

Ecology

Habitat

A peculiar habitat has coevolved due to the grazing pressures of the tortoises: "tortoise turf", a comingling of 20+ species of grasses and herbs. Many of these distinct plants are naturally dwarfed and grow their seeds not from the tops of the plants, but closer to the ground to avoid the tortoises' close-cropping jaws.

As the largest animal in its environment, the Aldabra tortoise performs a role similar to that of the elephant. Their vigorous search for food fells trees and creates pathways used by other animals.

Feeding ecology

A giant tortoise browsing leaves Ile Curieuse - Tortue (5).JPG
A giant tortoise browsing leaves

Primarily herbivores, Aldabra giant tortoises eat grasses, leaves, woody plant stems, and fruit. They occasionally indulge in small invertebrates and carrion, even eating the bodies of other dead tortoises. In captivity, Aldabra giant tortoises are known to consume fruits such as apples and bananas, as well as compressed vegetable pellets. In 2020, a female Aldabra giant tortoise on Fregate Island was observed hunting and eating a juvenile lesser noddy, indicating that the species was in the process of learning to catch birds. [20] [21]

Little fresh water is available for drinking in the tortoises' natural habitat, so they obtain most of their moisture from their food.

The Aldabra giant tortoise has two main varieties of shells, related to their habitat. Specimens living in habitats with food available primarily on the ground have more dome-shaped shells with the front extending downward over the neck. Those living in an environment with food available higher above the ground have more flattened top shells with the front raised to allow the neck to extend upward freely.[ citation needed ]

Tortoise turf

As the Aldabra giant tortoise is primarily herbivorous it spends much of its time browsing for food in its surrounding well-vegetated environment. The Aldabra giant tortoise is known to be found in places that are commonly known as "tortoise turf". Tortoise turf is composed of: [22] [23]

Behavior

Aldabra giant tortoise foot, an efficient digging tool Front foot on Aldabra giant tortoise.JPG
Aldabra giant tortoise foot, an efficient digging tool

Aldabra tortoises are found both individually and in herds, which tend to gather mostly on open grasslands. They are most active in the mornings, when they spend time grazing and browsing for food. They dig wallows, hide under shade trees or in small caves, as well as submerge themselves in pools to keep cool during the heat of the day.

Lifespan

Large tortoises are among the longest-lived animals. Some individual Aldabra giant tortoises are thought to be over 200 years of age, but this is difficult to verify because they tend to outlive their human observers. Adwaita was reputedly one of four brought by British seamen from the Seychelles Islands as gifts to Robert Clive of the British East India Company in the 18th century, and came to Calcutta Zoo in 1875. At his death in March 2006 at the Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) Zoo in India, Adwaita is reputed to have reached the longest ever measured lifespan of 255 years (birth year 1750). [24]

As of 2022, Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is thought to be the oldest living giant tortoise at the age of 192 years. [25] Esmeralda, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is second at the age of 180 years, since the death of Harriet, a Galapagos giant tortoise, at 175. An Aldabra giant tortoise living on Changuu off Zanzibar is reportedly 198 years old.

Breeding

Mating Aldabra giant tortoises Aldabra mating 4.JPG
Mating Aldabra giant tortoises

Mating takes place between February and May, and in July-September [26] females lay between 9 and 25 hard-shelled eggs in a 30 cm deep nest. Usually, less than half of the eggs are fertile. Females can produce multiple clutches of eggs in a year. After incubating for about eight months, the tiny, independent young hatch between October and December. [27]

In captivity, oviposition dates vary. Tulsa Zoo [28] maintains a small herd of Aldabra tortoises and they have reproduced several times since 1999. One female typically lays eggs in November and again in January, providing the weather is warm enough to go outside for laying. The zoo also incubates their eggs artificially, keeping two separate incubators at 27 °C (81 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F). On average, the eggs kept at the latter temperature hatch in 107 days. [26]


Conservation

Engraving of an Elephant-Tortoise from "The Royal Natural History" (1896) Engraving of an Elephant-Tortoise.jpg
Engraving of an Elephant-Tortoise from “The Royal Natural History” (1896)

The Aldabra giant tortoise has an unusually long history of organized conservation. Albert Günther of the British Museum, who later moved to the Natural History Museum of London, enlisting Charles Darwin and other famous scientists to help him, worked with the government of Mauritius to establish a preserve at the end of the 19th century. The related, but distinct, species of giant tortoise from the Seychelles islands, Seychelles giant tortoise A. g. hololissa and Arnold's giant tortoise A. g. arnoldi, were the subject of a captive-breeding and reintroduction program by the Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles. [29] [30]

A reference genome and low-coverage sequencing analyses has looked at revealing within- and among-island genetic differentiation within the Aldabra population, as well as assigning likely origins for zoo-housed individuals. This has managed to differentiate between individuals sampled on Malabar and Grande Terre and resolve the exact origin of zoo-housed individuals. [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortoise</span> Family of turtles

Tortoises are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines. Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like other members of the suborder Cryptodira, they retract their necks and heads directly backward into the shell to protect them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldabra</span> Coral atoll in the Indian Ocean

Aldabra, the world's second-largest coral atoll, is located southeast of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, with a distance of 1,120 km (700 mi) southwest of the capital, Victoria on Mahé Island. Initially named by Arab seafarers for its harsh environment, Aldabra became a French colony dependency in the 18th century, leading to the exploitation of its natural resources, particularly giant tortoises. After passing through British hands, Aldabra faced potential military use in the 1960s, but international protests resulted in its protection. The atoll boasts unique geography, featuring the world's largest raised coral reef and a large shallow lagoon. Aldabra's history involves human impact, including failed agricultural ventures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant tortoise</span> Several species of land tortoise

Giant tortoises are any of several species of various large land tortoises, which include a number of extinct species, as well as two extant species with multiple subspecies formerly common on the islands of the western Indian Ocean and on the Galápagos Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinta Island tortoise</span> Subspecies of Galápagos tortoise

The Pinta Island tortoise, also known as the Pinta giant tortoise, Abingdon Island tortoise, or Abingdon Island giant tortoise, is a recently extinct subspecies of Galápagos tortoise native to Ecuador's Pinta Island.

The Farquhar Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles, part of the Outer Islands chain. It is located 770 kilometres southwest of Mahé Island and the capital, Victoria, 258 km (160 mi) north of Madagascar, and around 1,000 km (621 mi) from the East African mainland.

<i>Geochelone</i> Genus of tortoises

Geochelone is a genus of tortoises.

<i>Aldabrachelys</i> Genus of tortoises

Aldabrachelys is genus of giant tortoises, including the Aldabra giant tortoise native to the Seychelles, as well as two extinct species, Aldabrachelys abrupta and Aldabrachelys grandidieri known from Madagascar. The genus name derives from Aldabra, a coral atoll in the Seychelles, plus chelys, from the Greek, χέλυς, for "tortoise" or "lyre", since Hermes was the first to invent the lyre from a hollowed out tortoise shell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galápagos tortoise</span> Species of reptile

The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise is a very large species of tortoise in the genus Chelonoidis. The species comprises 15 subspecies. It is the largest living species of tortoise, and can weigh up to 417 kg (919 lb). They are also the largest extant terrestrial cold-blooded animals (ectotherms).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granitic Seychelles</span>

The Granitic Seychelles are the islands in Seychelles which lie in central position on the Seychelles Bank and are composed of granite rock. They make up the majority of the Inner Islands, which in addition include the coral islands along of the rim of the Seychelles Bank, namely Bird Island and Denis Island. The Granitic Seychelles contrast with the Coralline Seychelles or the Outer Islands, several island groups made up of low coral islands with dry, infertile soils.

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<i>Aldabrachelys gigantea arnoldi</i> Subspecies of tortoise

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References

  1. ↑ Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). "Geochelone gigantea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T9010A12949962. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T9010A12949962.en .
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Turtle Taxonomy Working Group [van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Rhodin, A.G.J., Shaffer, H.B., and Bour, R.]. 2014. Turtles of the world, 7th edition: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs 5(7):000.329–479 Archived 2014-07-15 at the Wayback Machine , doi:10.3854/ crm.5.000.checklist.v7.2014.
  4. 1 2 Schweigger, Augustus F. (1812). "Prodromus monographiae Cheloniorum". Königsberger Archiv für Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik 1:271–368, 406–462.
  5. 1 2 Duméril, André Marie Constant, and Bibron, Gabriel. (1835). Erpétologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles. Tome Second. Paris: Roret.
  6. 1 2 Günther, Albert C.L.G. 1877. The Gigantic Land-Tortoises (Living and Extinct) in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Taylor and Francis, 96 pp.
  7. ↑ Pritchard, Peter C.H. (1979) Encyclopedia of Turtles. Neptune, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd.
  8. ↑ Palkovacs, Eric P.; Gerlach, Justin; Caccone, Adalgisa (2002). "The evolutionary origin of Indian Ocean tortoises (Dipsochelys)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 24 (2): 216–227. doi:10.1016/s1055-7903(02)00211-7. hdl:10161/6529. PMID   12144758. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  9. 1 2 Palkovacs, Eric P.; Marschner, Monique; Ciofi, Claudio; Gerlach, Justin; Caccone, Adalgisa (2003). "Are the native giant tortoises from the Seychelles really extinct? A genetic perspective based on mtDNA and microsatellite data" (PDF). Molecular Ecology. 12 (6): 1403–1413. Bibcode:2003MolEc..12.1403P. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01834.x. hdl:10161/6530. PMID   12755870. S2CID   10014935. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  10. ↑ "ANIMAL BYTES – Aldabra Tortoise". Seaworld.org. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  11. ↑ "ANIMAL BYTES – Aldabra Tortoise". Seaworld.org. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  12. ↑ Hansen, Dennis M.; Kaiser, Christopher N.; Müller, Christine B. (2008). "Seed Dispersal and Establishment of Endangered Plants on Oceanic Islands: The Janzen-Connell Model, and the Use of Ecological Analogues". PLOS ONE. 3 (5): e2111. Bibcode:2008PLoSO...3.2111H. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002111 . PMC   2358974 . PMID   18461169.
  13. ↑ Hughes, G. M.; Gaymer, R.; Moore, Margaret; Woakes, A. J. (1971). "Respiratory Exchange and Body Size in the Aldabra Giant Tortoise". Journal of Experimental Biology. 55 (3): 651–665. doi:10.1242/jeb.55.3.651. PMID   5160860.
  14. ↑ "Opinion 2316 (Case 3463). Testudo gigantea Schweigger, 1812 (currently Geochelone (Aldabrachelys) gigantea; Reptilia, Testudines): usage of the specific name conserved by maintenance of a designated neotype, and suppression of Testudo dussumieri Gray, 1831 (currently Dipsochelys dussumieri)". The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature. 70: 61–65. 2013. doi:10.21805/bzn.v70i1.a13. S2CID   81969212.
  15. ↑ Bour, Roger (1982). "Contribution à la connaisance des tortues terrestres des Seychelles: définition du genre endémique et description d'une espéce nouvelle probablement originaire des îles grantiques & bord de l'extinction". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences295: 117–122. (Dipsochelys arnoldi, new species, p. 118). (in French).
  16. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). "Dipsochelys daudinii", p. 66 in The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5.
  17. ↑ Kehlmaier, Christian; Graciá, Eva; Ali, Jason R.; Campbell, Patrick D.; Chapman, Sandra D.; Deepak, V.; Ihlow, Flora; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Pierre-Huyet, Laure; Samonds, Karen E.; Vences, Miguel; Fritz, Uwe (2023-01-13). "Ancient DNA elucidates the lost world of western Indian Ocean giant tortoises and reveals a new extinct species from Madagascar". Science Advances. 9 (2): eabq2574. Bibcode:2023SciA....9.2574K. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abq2574. ISSN   2375-2548. PMC   9833658 . PMID   36630487.
  18. ↑ Payne, Roger (2004-04-05). "Losing Aldabra". Voyage of the Odyssey. PBS. Archived from the original on 2021-05-16. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  19. ↑ "Marine Parks: St. Anne". Seychelles National Parks Authority. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16.
  20. ↑ Lambert, Jonathan (2021-08-23). "A giant tortoise was caught stalking, killing and eating a baby bird". Science News. Archived from the original on 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  21. ↑ Zora, Anna; Gerlach, Justin (23 August 2021). "Giant tortoises hunt and consume birds". Current Biology. 31 (16): R989–R990. Bibcode:2021CBio...31.R989Z. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.088 . PMID   34428417.
  22. ↑ Grubb, P. (1971). "The growth, ecology and population structure of giant tortoises on Aldabra". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences. 260 (836): 327–372. Bibcode:1971RSPTB.260..327G. doi:10.1098/rstb.1971.0018.
  23. ↑ Hnatiuk, R.J. and L.F.H. Merton (1979) "Vegetation of Aldabra, a Reassessment" Archived 2012-03-27 at the Wayback Machine . Atoll Research Bulletin No. 239, The Smithsonian Institution
  24. ↑ "'Clive of India's' tortoise dies". BBC News . BBC Online. 2006-03-23. Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  25. ↑ ninemsn Pickle. - Australia (2016-03-25). "Tortoise has his first bath in 184 years". Pickle. ninemsn. Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  26. 1 2 Bourn, David (1977). "Reproductive study of Giant tortoises on Aldabra". Journal of Zoology. 182: 27–38. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1977.tb04138.x .
  27. ↑ Stearns, Brett C. (2007). "Captive husbandry and propagation of the Aldabra giant tortoise Geochelone gigantea: At the institute for Herpetological Research". International Zoo Yearbook. 27: 98–103. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1988.tb03201.x.
  28. ↑ Collins, Dave. (1984) "Captive Breeding and Management of the Aldabra Tortoise". Presented to 8th International Herpetological Symposium, Jacksonville Zoo, Jacksonville, Fl.
  29. ↑ Spratt, David M.J. (1989). "Operation Curiesue: A Conservation Programme for the Aldabra Giant Tortoise in the Republic of Seychelles". Int. Zoo Yearb. 28: 66–69. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1989.tb03256.x.
  30. ↑ Swingland, Ian R. Aldabran Giant Tortoise. The Conservation Biology of Tortoises, Occasional Papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), No. 5, 1989.
  31. ↑ Çilingir, F Gözde; A'Bear, Luke; Hansen, Dennis; Davis, Leyla R; Bunbury, Nancy; Ozgul, Arpat; Croll, Daniel; Grossen, Christine (2022). "Chromosome-level genome assembly for the Aldabra giant tortoise enables insights into the genetic health of a threatened population". GigaScience. 11: giac090. doi:10.1093/gigascience/giac090. PMC   9553416 . PMID   36251273.
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