Galápagos tortoise
Slow archipelago dweller
A Galápagos tortoise is a giant tortoise native to the Galápagos Islands, the largest living species of tortoise.
These slow-moving reptiles can weigh over 400 pounds and live well beyond a century.
The shape of their shells varies by island, an observation that contributed to Darwin's theory of evolution: The Galápagos tortoise became a symbol of evolutionary adaptation.
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- saddlebackDip between two peaks
- ectothermicTemperature set by surroundings
cold-blooded · scutes · beak · claws · leathery skin · tortoiseshell · hefty · bulky
British naturalist, species theorist
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- saddlebackDip between two peaks
- speciationFormation of distinct species
endemic · Beagle · finches · divergence · ancestral · morphology · subspecies · radiation
At risk of extinction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- breeding programsPlanned mating for traits
- captive breedingReproducing animals under human care
- repatriationFormal return to homeland
habitat restoration · protection · poaching · species recovery · population · vulnerable · threatened · wildlife reserve
Person over ninety-nine
- lifespanTotal existence duration
- ancientVery old indeed
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
- decadesTen-year periods
survival · Harriet · age-old · Diego · slow metabolism · resilience · elderly · durable
Chain of scattered islands
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
- EcuadorCountry at zero latitude
- PacificEarth's vastest ocean
- volcanicOf fiery mountain origin
Santa Cruz · Isabela · equatorial · highlands · arid zones · lava · endemic · Beagle
carapace
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- plastronVentral shell portion
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- saddlebackDip between two peaks
ectothermic · cold-blooded · scutes · beak · claws · leathery skin · tortoiseshell · hefty · bulky · ponderous
Darwin
British naturalist, species theorist
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- saddlebackDip between two peaks
speciation · endemic · Beagle · finches · divergence · ancestral · morphology · subspecies · radiation · isolation
endangered
At risk of extinction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- breeding programsPlanned mating for traits
- captive breedingReproducing animals under human care
repatriation · habitat restoration · protection · poaching · species recovery · population · vulnerable · threatened · wildlife reserve · preservation
centenarian
Person over ninety-nine
decades · survival · Harriet · age-old · Diego · slow metabolism · resilience · elderly · durable · persistent
archipelago
Chain of scattered islands
- DarwinBritish naturalist, species theorist
- EcuadorCountry at zero latitude
- PacificEarth's vastest ocean
volcanic · Santa Cruz · Isabela · equatorial · highlands · arid zones · lava · endemic · Beagle · finches
Galápagos tortoisecheetah
Fastest land animal
peregrine falcon · hare · greyhound · hummingbird · gazelle