Vol. II, Pt. I] VAN DENBURGH— GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 329 



Testudo microphyes Giinther 



Tagus Cove Tortoise 



Plates 70 to 83. 



Testudo microphyes Gunther, Trans. Royal Soc. Lond., CLXV, 1875 

 p. 275, pis. 36, 37 fig. B, 38 fig. B, 39 fig. B ; Gunther, P. Z. S., 1877, p. 66 

 Gunther, Gigantic Land Tortoises Brit. Mus., 1878, p. 78, pis. XXXII 

 XXXVIII, XUI fig. B, XLIII fig. B, XUV fig. B, XLV figs. A-C 

 BouLENGER, Cat. Chelonians Brit. Mus., 1889. p. 170; Strauch, Mem 

 Acad. Sci. St. Petersb. (7), XXXVIII, 2, 1890, p. 53; Vaillant, Bull 

 Mus. d'Hist. Nat. Paris, 1900, p. 228, Heller, Proc. Washington Acad 

 Sci., V, 1903, p. 56; Beck, Seventh Report N. Y. Zool. Soc, 1903. p. 13 

 SiEbEnrock, Zool. Jahrb., Suppl. X, 3, 1909, p. 534. 



Type Specimen — British Museum. Adult female. Straight 

 length 22.5 inches. Origin unknown. 



Distribution. — Giinther and other authors have thought that 

 Testudo microphyes was confined to the vicinity of Tagus 

 Cove, Albemarle Island. The Academy's collection, however, 

 contains specimens from Cape Rose, on the southern coast 

 of Albemarle Island, which I am unable to distinguish from 

 those secured at Tagus Cove. 



Material. — The Academy has thirteen males and one young 

 female from Tagus Cove, and four males and a female from 

 Cape Rose. Many museums contain specimens of this tortoise, 

 which is not rare in collections. 



Diagnosis. — No nuchal; gulars paired; fourth cervical ver- 

 tebra biconvex; front of carapace low, in males higher than 

 in females; height at nuchal notch not more than 44% (34 to 

 43%) of straight length; difference between percentages of 

 front and middle heights less than 14 (2 to 14) ; carapace 

 not saddle-shaped, not narrow anteriorly, width at margin 

 of junction of second and third marginals not less than 46% 

 (46 to 57%) ; first marginals not enlarged, not everted, their 

 ventral surfaces not vertical, their most prominent points sepa- 

 rated by less than 25% (15 to 24%) ; length over curve not 

 more than 123% (114 to 123%) ; width over curve less than 

 length over curve or exceeding it by less than 5%; vertical 

 distance from lower surface of plastron to lower edge of 

 lateral marginals small, 3 to 7% ; general size large, straight 

 length 25 to 40.5 inches; plastron short, 65 to 80%; plates 

 nearly smooth in adults; pectorals forming suture on median 

 line; eighth marginal plate not reduced; lower jaw and throat 

 of males not marked with yellow. 



