Living Tortoise Species of the World

Global distribution of family “Testudinidae”

The world’s living tortoises belong to the family Testudinidae, with roughly 50 recognized species distributed across five continents and numerous oceanic islands. Follow the species links to explore photographs, observations, and distribution information on iNaturalist.

Asia

• Indotestudo elongata – Elongated Tortoise (Southeast Asia and parts of India)
• Indotestudo forstenii – Sulawesi (or Forsten’s) Tortoise (Indonesia)
• Indotestudo travancorica – Travancore Tortoise (India)
• Manouria emys – Asian Giant Tortoise (southern and southeastern Asia)
• Manouria impressa – Impressed Tortoise (Southeast Asia)
• Geochelone elegans – Indian Star Tortoise (India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)
• Geochelone platynota – Burmese Star Tortoise (Myanmar)

Indian Ocean

• Aldabrachelys gigantea – Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles)
• Astrochelys radiata – Radiated Tortoise (Madagascar)
• Astrochelys yniphora – Ploughshare Tortoise (Madagascar)
• Pyxis arachnoides – Spider Tortoise (Madagascar)
• Pyxis planicauda – Flat-tailed Tortoise (Madagascar)

Africa

• Centrochelys sulcata – African Spurred (Sulcata) Tortoise (Africa, Sahel region)
• Chersina angulata – Angulate (Bowsprit) Tortoise (Namibia and South Africa)
• Chersobius boulengeri – Karoo Dwarf Tortoise (South Africa)
• Chersobius signatus – Speckled Dwarf Tortoise (South Africa)
• Chersobius solus – Nama Tortoise (Namibia and South Africa)
• Homopus areolatus – Parrot-beaked Tortoise (South Africa)
• Homopus femoralis – Greater Dwarf Tortoise (South Africa)
• Kinixys belliana – Bell’s Hinge-back Tortoise (central Africa)
• Kinixys erosa – Forest Hinge-back Tortoise (central and western Africa)
• Kinixys homeana – Home’s Hinge-back Tortoise (western Africa)
• Kinixys lobatsiana – Lobatse Hinge-back tortoise (southern Africa)
• Kinixys natalensis – Natal Hinge-back Tortoise (eastern southern Africa)
• Kinixys nogueyi – Western Hinge-back Tortoise (tropical western Africa)
• Kinixys spekii – Speke’s Hinge-back Tortoise (East Africa)
• Kinixys zombensis – Eastern Hinge-back Tortoise (eastern southern Africa)
• Malacochersus tornieri – Pancake Tortoise (Kenya & Tanzania)
• Psammobates geometricus – Geometric Tortoise (southern Africa)
• Psammobates oculifer – Serrated Tent Tortoise (southern Africa)
• Psammobates tentorius – Tent Tortoise (southern Africa)
• Stigmochelys pardalis – Leopard Tortoise (eastern and southern Africa)

Europe

• Testudo graeca – Spur-thighed Tortoise (North Africa and southern Spain)
• Testudo kleinmanni – Egyptian Tortoise (Egypt, Libya, and Israel)
• Testudo marginata – Marginated Tortoise (Southern Europe)
• Testudo horsfieldii – Central Asian Tortoise (Central Asia)
• Testudo hermanni – Hermann’s Tortoise (southern Europe)
  • Note: The taxonomy of the Eurasian tortoise group is unsettled due to their vast range around the Mediterranean Ocean, and the various terrains, climates, and biotopes across three continents.

North America

• Gopherus agassizii – Mojave (Agassiz’s) Desert Tortoise (Mojave desert)
• Gopherus berlandieri – Texas Tortoise (Texas)
• Gopherus evgoodei – Sinaloan (Goode’s) Thornscrub Tortoise (Mexico)
• Gopherus flavomarginatus – Bolsón Tortoise (Chihuahuan desert)
• Gopherus morafkai – Sonoran (Morafkai) Desert Tortoise (Sonoran desert)
• Gopherus polyphemus – Gopher Tortoise (southeastern United States)

South America

• Chelonoidis carbonarius – Red-footed Tortoise (Amazon basin)
• Chelonoidis chilensis – Chaco Tortoise (Patagonia region of Argentina)
• Chelonoidis denticulatus – Yellow-footed Tortoise (Amazon basin)
• Chelonoidis niger* – Galápagos Tortoise – with 12 notable living subspecies:
  • C. n. becki – Volcán Wolf giant Tortoise (Isabela Island)
  • C. n. chathamensis – San Cristóbal giant Tortoise (San Cristóbal Island)
  • C. n. darwini – Santiago Island giant Tortoise (Santiago Island)
  • C. n. donfaustoi – Eastern Santa Cruz Tortoise (Santa Cruz Island)
  • C. n. duncanensis – Pinzón Island giant Tortoise (Pinzón Island)
  • C. n. guntheri – Sierra Negra giant Tortoise (Isabela Island)
  • C. n. hoodensis – Hood Island giant Tortoise (Española Island)
  • C. n. microphyes – Volcán Darwin giant Tortoise (Isabela Island)
  • C. n. phantasticus – Fernandina Island Tortoise (Fernandina Island)
  • C. n. porteri – Western Santa Cruz Tortoise (Santa Cruz Island)
  • C. n. vandenburghi – Volcán Alcedo giant Tortoise (Isabela Island)
  • C. n. vicina – Cerro Azul giant Tortoise (Isabela Island)
    • *The Turtle Taxonomy Working Group in 2021 released a study supporting classification as subspecies due to genetic analysis, although some researchers consider the subspecies each to be a species. The taxonomic status of this group of tortoises is not fully resolved.

Source: Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status, 10th ed., Turtle Taxonomy Working Group.