THE GALAPAGOS TORTOISES. 273 



Testudo macrophyes, sp. nov. 



Plates 3-5. 



Testudo microphyes Gunther, 1877, Gigantic land-tortoises, p. 78, pi. 32-36, 38, 45, fig. A-C (part); 

 Beck, 1903, 7th Ann. rept. N. Y. zool. soc, p. 170; Siebenrock, 1909, Zool. jahrb. Suppl., 10, 

 p. 534; Van Denburgh, 1914, Proc. Cal. acad. sci., ser. 4, 2, p. 329, pi. 70-83 (part); Rothschild, 

 1915, Nov. zool., 22, p. 406, 409 (part). 



Testudo macrophyes is the name here applied to a tortoise inhabiting the 

 section of Santa Isabela Island (Albemarle) near Tagus Cove. The tortoise 

 was first made known by Gunther, in 1877, who described and figured it from 

 a number of the Cookson specimens but he did not recognize the species as dis- 

 tinct. He made it identical with that he had characterized in 1875 under the 

 name T. microphyes from a specimen of unknown origin, said at the time to be 

 "a fully adult male" representing the ''smallest of the Galapagos Tortoises" 

 and supposed to have come from Espanola Island (Hood's). 



Testudo macrophyes is one of the largest species. Compared with that of 

 T. microphyes, Plate 11, the carapace appears more elongate, narrower across 

 the humeral region, broader across the femoral plates, and somewhat higher 

 in the arches across the middle of the back, over the third and the fourth verte- 

 brals. Viewed from above the outlines in some degree resemble those of T. 

 ephippium. The convergence toward the front and the incline of the flanks are 

 greater than on T. microphyes and consequently the opening in front between 

 the carapace and the plastron approaches an angular in the nuchal section. 

 The notch at the eighth marginal on each side appears more decided because 

 of a slightly greater spread of the marginals over the femoral arches and farther 

 back. The striae of growth are present on the younger; on the old they are 

 more effaced. The straight width is about three fourths of the straight length; 

 the curved width is little greater than the curved length. The differences in 

 the sternum are even more patent. The humeral extension from the front of 

 the bridge is narrowed forward; the gular plates are reduced, somewhat pointed, 

 and are partly separated by a notch, Plate 5, fig. 3. The femoral extension 

 from the bridge backward is narrowed toward the anal plates, wliich appear 

 small, though larger than the gulars, and are rounded to meet in front of the 

 shallow notch. 



Plate 3 shows the outlines of the carapace of the half grown specimen 

 figured in Giinther's, 1877, Plate 38, Plate 5 those of the 27 inch female on his 



