Galápagos Giant Tortoises and Allies

Chelonoidis is a genus of turtles in the tortoise family. They are found in South America and the Galápagos Islands. They were formerly assigned to Geochelone, but a recent comparative genetic analysis has indicated that they are actually most closely related to African hingeback tortoises. Their ancestors apparently floated across the Atlantic in the Oligocene. This crossing was made possible by their ability to float with their heads up and to survive up to six months...