Gopherus

Gopherus
Florida Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Gopherus Rafinesque, 1832
Species
4 species, see article.

Gopherus is a genus of tortoises commonly referred to as gopher tortoises. The gopher tortoise is grouped with land tortoises that originated 60 million years ago, in North America. A genetic study has shown that their closest relatives are in the Asian genus Manouria.^[1] The gopher tortoises live in the southern United States from California's Mojave Desert across to Florida, and in parts of northern Mexico. Gopher tortoises are so named because of their ability to dig large, deep burrows; those of the Florida Gopher Tortoise can be up to 40 feet (12 m) in length and 10 feet (3.0 m) in depth.^[2] These burrows are used by a variety of other species, including mammals, other reptiles, birds, amphibians, and birds.^[3] Gopher tortoises are 20–50 centimetres (7.9–20 in) in length, depending on the species.^[4] All four species are found in xeric habitats.^[3]

Diet

Gopher tortoises are mainly herbivores that feed on low growing plant life. Their diet consists mostly of grasses and legumes.^[5] Gopher tortoises are scavengers and will also feed on small berries, fruits, carrion, and excrement. Gopher tortoises are rarely seen drinking from still water. Most of the water gopher tortoises consume comes from within the food they eat.

Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizii

Breeding

Gopher tortoises usually mate during the months of April and May. The female will then choose either a sunny spot nearby or a sandy mound in front of her burrow to lay between 3 to 15 eggs. The eggs then hatch from 70 to 100 days later. Once hatched the baby tortoises spend most of their time in their mother's burrow until they learn to dig their own. They do not reach maturity until they are around 10 to 15 years old.

Genus

There are currently four recognized species in the genus Gopherus:

Genus Gopherus:

• California Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizii (Cooper, 1863)
• Texas Tortoise, Gopherus berlandieri (Agassiz, 1857)
• Mexican Gopher Tortoise or Bolson Tortoise, Gopherus flavomarginatus (Legler, 1959)
• Florida Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus (Daudin, 1802)

Conservation

Populations of all four species of Gopherus have declined dramatically. The most significant threat to their survival is habitat destruction, but the pet trade and collisions with vehicles have also taken their toll.^[4] On November 9, 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed rulemaking to include the Eastern Population of the Gopher Tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, in the List of Threatened Wildlife.^[6]

References

External links

• http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org
• http://www.gophertortoise.org
• http://www.uga.edu/srel/gopher.htm

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