The Volcán Wolf giant tortoise (''Chelonoidis niger becki)'', also known commonly as the Wolf Volcano giant tortoise and the Cape Berkeley giant tortoise, is a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

Galápagos tortoise The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (''Chelonoidis niger'') is a species of very large tortoise in the genus ''Chelonoidis'' (which also contains three smaller species from mainland South America). It comprises 15 subspecies (13 ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Testudinidae. The subspecies is native to the north side of

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

's Isabela Island (formerly Albemarle Island). ''Chelonoidis becki'' has links to two different lineages including that of '' Chelonoidis darwini'' from the nearby island of Santiago. ''C. becki'' has been found to be the product of a double colonization event beginning around 199,000 years ago, and had been formed through introgression, where greater male selectivity was exhibited by purebred females in one of the lineages. It is most commonly found on the northern, western, and southwestern slopes of

Volcán Wolf Wolf Volcano ( es, Volcán Wolf, italic=no), also known as Mount Whiton, is the highest peak in the Galápagos Islands. It is situated on Isabela Island and reaches . It is a shield volcano with a characteristic upturned soup bowl shape. The vo ...

, the volcano that it is named for. Having evolved to live in a specific environment, ''C. becki'' only occupies an estimated range of about 263 square kilometers. An estimated 1,150 Volcán Wolf giant tortoises inhabit

Etymology

The specific name, ''becki'', is in honor of American ornithologist Rollo Howard Beck. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Chelonoidis nigra becki'', p. 21).

Habitat

The preferred natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s of ''C. becki'' are

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

and

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...

Diet

''C. becki'' has a vegetarian diet.

Etymology

Habitat

Diet

References

Further reading