The Goode's thornscrub tortoise or Sinaloan thornscrub tortoise or Sinaloan desert tortoise or Goode's desert tortoise (''Gopherus evgoodei'') is a species of tortoise that is native to the Sinaloan desert region. First described in 2016, ''G. evgoodei'' inhabits Tropical Deciduous Forest and Sinaloan Desertscrub biomes in Mexico. Its range may overlap in the north with ''G. morafkai'', the Morafka's or Sonoran desert tortoise. Goode's thornscrub tortoise is named for Eric V. Goode, a conservationist, naturalist, and founder of the Turtle Conservancy

Taxon history

Bogert and Oliver were the first researchers to notice a distinct morphology in the southern range of what was then considered ''G. agassizii,'' but could not confirm a new species due to limitations of small sample size Edwards et al. sampled 233 tortoises that represented Sonoran and Sinaloan lineages of ''G. morafkai.'' The authors then conducted a large-scale genetic analysis that when combined with significant ecological and morphological differentiation, suggested that the southernmost ''Gopherus'' “Sinaloan” population constituted a new described species, ''G. evgoodei'' Hybrid zones for ''G. morafka''i and ''G. evgoodei'' have been found in a narrow ecotone between the Sonoran Desert scrub and the Sonoran Thorn scrub in Mexico.

Description

''Gopherus evgoodei'' differs from ''G. morafkai'' and ''G. agassizii'' in that it has a flatter in shell profile, rounded foot pads, multiple enlarged spurs on the radial-humeral joint. It also has orange tones in the integument (skin) and shell and a distinctly shallower concavity on the plastron of males.

Habitat

''Gopherus evgoodei'' lives in hills and low mountains, and prefers slopes, boulders and rock outcrops. Like the Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoises, it digs burrows in the soil, but prefers to excavate under boulders.

Activity

''Gopherus evgoodei'' is active from June until November and it is assumed this corresponds with monsoonal rains and corresponding plant growth

Conservation

''Gopherus evgoodei'' resides in threatened habitat and has a smaller distribution than ''G. agassizii'' or ''G. morafkai'' In 2018, the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group recommended a re-assessment and re-classification of all six ''Gopherus'' species. This reclassification would move ''G. evgoodei'' from Near Endangered (NE) to Vulnerable (VU).

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q22813438 evgoodei