University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History
Volume 11, No. 5, pp. 335-343, pls. 7 and 8 April 24, 1959
A New Tortoise, Genus Gopherus, From North-central Mexico
BY
JOHN M. LEGLER
University of Kansas Lawrence 1959
University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History
Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, Robert W. Wilson
Volume 11, No. 5, pp. 335-343 Published April 24, 1959
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
PRINTED IN THE STATE PRINTING PLANT TOPEKA, KANSAS 1959
A New Tortoise, Genus Gopherus, From North-central Mexico
BY
JOHN M. LEGLER
In the course of taxonomic studies of the genus Gopherus it was found that specimens from north-central Mexico belong to an hitherto unrecognized species, which is named and described below.
Gopherus flavomarginatus new species
Holotype.—U.S. National Museum 61253, adult; stuffed specimen with disassociated skull; 30 to 40 miles from Lerdo, Durango, Mexico; obtained by Dr. Elswood Chaffee, 1918.
Paratypes.—USNM 61254, adult, stuffed specimen with skull in place, other data the same as those for holotype; USNM 60976, adult, stuffed specimen with disassociated skull, Lerdo, Durango, Dr. Elswood Chaffee, May 1918; University of Illinois 42953-4, adults, two carapaces, Carrillo, Chihuahua, Pete S. Chrapliwy and Kenneth L. Williams, 1 August 1958; University of Kansas 39415, adult, carapace only, 8 mi. E and 2 mi. S Americanos, Coahuila, Robert W. Dickerman, 19 May 1954.
Diagnosis.—A large tortoise of the genus Gopherus, having a flat-topped, posteriorly-flared shell, carapacal laminae that are pale with contrasting dark centers (at least on the lateral margins of the carapace), intergular seam longer than interhumeral, obtuse gular projections, and a relatively wider skull than other Mexican representatives of the genus.
Description of species.—Ground color of carapace pale yellow to straw in smaller specimens, pale brown in larger specimens; in some specimens a slight indication of darker radial markings on carapace; epidermal areolae of carapace (if present) and first two or three zones of growth (around areolae) dark brown to black, their contrast with the ground color greater in smaller specimens; ground color of lateral marginals yellowish, much paler than remainder of carapace; black areolae of marginals contrasting sharply with ground color even in old individuals; plastron pale, approximately the same shade of yellow as lateral marginals, marked with sharply contrasting blotches of black or dark brown in younger specimens, becoming immaculate with age.
Carapace low, evenly arched or slightly flat-topped in cross section, its height slightly more than 50 per cent of its length; top of carapace, between highest parts of first and fourth central laminae, more or less flat in profile; carapace flared, wider posteriorly than anteriorly; central laminae all broader than long, the first not (or but slightly) narrower posteriorly than anteriorly; plastron deeply notched behind, the inner margins of the notch straight, neither convex nor concave; gular projections truncate (not pronglike) having no notch or but a shallow notch between them; greatest combined width of gular laminae much greater than greatest length; interlaminal length of gular greater than that of humeral; one large axillary scute on each side, approximately rectangular but slightly wider below than above; one or two inguinal scutes on each side, the anterior roughly triangular and much larger than posterior.
Anterior surface of antebrachium having enlarged, juxtaposed (or slightly imbricated), osteodermal scales arranged in seven to eight longitudinal rows, each scale yellowish with a black or dark brown center; scales on lateral edge of antebrachium, from fifth claw to elbow, ten in number and darker than other antebrachial scales; two enlarged black-tipped, yellow spurs on posterior surface of thigh, inner spur approximately half the size of outer. Head relatively wide, greatest width of skull slightly more than 80 per cent of condylobasilar length; width of head 1.3 to 1.7 times diameter of hind foot; scales on top of head large but irregularly arranged (see table 1 for measurements of type and paratypes).
Table 1. Measurements, in Millimeters, of the Holotype and Paratypes of Gopherus Flavomarginatus New Species
Duges (1888:146-147, and 1896:479) twice reported specimens of Gopherus polyphemus from Chihuahua (see discussion of distribution); his description of two living examples (1888) agrees generally with the above description of G. flavomarginatus. He stated that the iris of his smaller specimen was yellow and the iris of a larger specimen brown.
It will be most interesting to learn the color of juveniles of G. flavomarginatus. Considering the dark color of the epidermal areolae of adults, I would expect the color of hatchlings to be dark brown to nearly black, with each lamina acquiring paler borders as it grew, rather than acquiring darker borders as is usually the case in G. berlandieri (personal observation), agassizii (Miller, 1932:194, pl. 2; Woodbury and Hardy, 1948:165, figs. 9 and 10), and polyphemus (personal observation).
PLATE 7
Plate 7. Gopherus flavomarginatus new species: Top—Dorsal and ventral views of holotype (× 1/3); Middle—Lateral view of holotype (× 1/3)); Bottom—Head of paratype (USNM 61254) (× ½) and antebrachium of holotype (× 5/6). Dark outline on plastron of holotype indicates where portion of shell was removed (and then replaced) in course of preparation.
PLATE 8
Plate 8. Gopherus flavomarginatus new species: Dorsal views of paratypes (from top to bottom, IU 42953, IU 42954, and KU 39415), approximately 1/5 natural size.
Fig. 1. Gopherus flavomarginatus new species: 1a and 1b—Lateral and ventral views of skull of holotype (× 1); 1c—Cross section of paratype (USNM 60976) taken through middle of third central lamina (× 2/5).