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Tortoise Taxonomy Listing
An alphabetical list of the currently recognized tortoise genera, species, and subspecies. Sizes listed are typical.
Agrionemys (or Testudo)
— Central Asian TortoisesNote: This is now considered to be Testudo since they freely interbreed with other members of Testudo.
Agrionemys horsfieldii — Horsfield's Tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii horsfieldii — Russian, steppe, or Horsfield's tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii bogdanovi — Fergana Valley steppe tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii kazachstandica — Kazakhstan steppe tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii kuznetzovi — Turkmenistan steppe tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii rustamovi — Kopet-Dag steppe tortoise
- Agrionemys horsfieldii terbishi — Mongolian steppe tortoise
Aldabrachelys
— Seychelles Giant TortoisesNote: The last three species listed here are probably extinct, but unusual specimens of Aldabran tortoises have been found in zoos, private collections, and at a few very remote sites. They are believed to be examples of the last three species, but there is a lot of debate on this.
Aldabrachelys gigantea — Aldabra giant tortoise
- Aldabrachelys gigantea gigantea — Aldabra giant tortoise
- Aldabrachelys gigantea arnoldi — Arnold's giant tortoise — possibly extinct
- Aldabrachelys gigantea daudinii — Daudin's giant tortoise — possibly extinct
- Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa — Seychelle giant tortoise — possibly extinct
Astrochelys
— Radiated TortoisesNote: ALL tortoises from Madagascar are critically endangered due to habitat destruction and over-collection.
Astrochelys radiata — Radiated tortoise — endangered
Astrochelys yniphora — Angulated or Plowshare tortoise — critically endangered, fewer than 200 in the wild
Chelonoidis (or Geochelone)
— South American TortoisesChelonoidis carbonaria — Red-footed tortoise — Size: 14 in / 36 cm. May have up to 5 sub-species or species: Northern, Northeastern, Northwestern, Southern and Eastern.
Chelonoidis chilensis — Pampas or Chilean tortoise — Size: 10 in / 26 cm
Chelonoidis denticulata — Yellow-footed tortoise — Size: 16 in / 40 cm
Chelonoidis nigra — Galápagos giant tortoise complex — Size: 48 in / 122 cm, endangered. Exact division of species and subspecies is debatable.
- Chelonoidis nigra nigra — Charles Island giant tortoise — possibly extinct
Chelonoidis abingdonii — Abingdon Island giant tortoise — considered extinct as of 2012
Chelonoidis becki — Vulcan Wolf giant tortoise
Chelonoidis chathamensis — Chatham Island giant tortoise
Chelonoidis darwini — James Island giant tortoise
Chelonoidis duncanensis — Duncan Island giant tortoise — critically endangered
Chelonoidis hoodensis — Hood Island giant tortoise — critically endangered
Chelonoidis phantastica — Narborough Island giant tortoise — probably extinct
Chelonoidis porter — Indefatigable Island giant tortoise
Chelonoidis vincina — Isabela Island giant tortoise
Chelonoidis petersi — Peter's tortoise — Size: 10 in / 36 cm. Considered a type or subspecies of the Chaco tortoise by many sources.
Centrochelys (or Geochelone)
— African TortoiseGeochelone sulcata — African spurred or 'sulcata' tortoise
Chersina
— Bowsprit TortoiseChersina angulata — Bowsprit tortoise — threatened
Chersine (or Testudo)
— Hermann's TortoiseChersine hermanni — Hermann's tortoise
- Chersine hermanni hermanii — Western Hermann's tortoise
- Chersine hermanni boettgeri — Eastern Hermann's tortoise
Geochelone
— 'Typical' TortoisesGeochelone elegans — Indian star tortoise
Geochelone platynota — Burmese star tortoise — critically endangered, nearly extinct in the wild
Gopherus
— Gopher TortoisesGopherus agassizii — Desert tortoise — Size: 15 in / 38 cm, critically endangered
Gopherus berlandieri — Texas tortoise — Size: 8 in / 20 cm, threatened
Gopherus flavomarginatus — Bolson or Mexican giant tortoise — Size: 18 in / 46 cm, endangered
Gopherus polyphemus — Gopher tortoise — Size: 12 in / 30 cm, endangered