Texas tortoise facts for kids

The Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) is a special kind of tortoise. It belongs to the tortoise family called Testudinidae. This tortoise is one of six types of tortoises that live naturally in North America.

Quick facts for kids Texas tortoise
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Gopherus
Species:	berlandieri
Synonyms
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)

Where the Texas Tortoise Lives

The Texas tortoise lives in the southern part of Texas in the United States. It also lives further south in Mexico. You can find it in Mexican states like Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas.

How the Tortoise Got Its Name

The second part of the tortoise's scientific name, berlandieri, honors a naturalist named Jean Louis Berlandier. He worked for the Mexican government a long time ago. He helped with one of the first studies of plants and animals in Texas. Because of him, some people also call it Berlandier's tortoise.

Texas Tortoise Habits

The Texas tortoise is different from other gopher tortoises. It is not very good at digging deep burrows. It prefers to live in dry areas with lots of grass and scrubland.

What the Texas Tortoise Eats

Texas tortoises love to eat succulent plants. These are plants that store water in their leaves or stems. These plants are common in the dry areas where the tortoise lives. The tortoise especially enjoys eating the fruit from cacti, like the prickly pear.

Protecting the Texas Tortoise

The Texas tortoise is considered an animal of "low concern" by a group called the IUCN Red List. This means it is not in immediate danger worldwide. However, in the state of Texas, it is listed as a threatened species. This means it is protected by state law. It is against the law to collect or own these tortoises in Texas.

The Mexican government also lists the Texas tortoise as "Threatened" in Mexico. Scientists have also given it a high "Environmental Vulnerability Score." This score shows that the Texas tortoise is a species that needs a lot of protection.

Gallery

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  Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), Val Verde Co, Texas, USA (2005).

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  Gopherus berlandieri, Bee Co. Texas, USA (June 2011).

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  Gopherus berlandieri Bee Co. Texas, USA (2011).

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  Elongated gular scutes of male, Bee Co. Texas, USA (2011).

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  Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri), northern Tamaulipas, Mexico (2007).

• Species Gopherus berlandieri at The Reptile Database

See also

In Spanish: Tortuga de Texas para niños