Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius)

About Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius)

• Kingdom: Animals
• Phylum: Chordates
• Class: Reptiles
• Order: Turtles
• Family: Tortoise

The red-footed tortoise is a species of tortoise from northern South America. These medium-sized tortoises generally average 30 cm (12 in) as adults, but can reach over 40 cm (16 in). They have dark-colored, “loaf”-shaped carapaces with a lighter patch in the middle of each scute, and a somewhat lighter-colored plastron (underbelly). They also have dark limbs dotted with brightly-colored scales, from which they get their name, that range from pale yellow to vivid or dark red. Visible differences are noted between red-footed tortoises from varying eco-regions. They are closely related to the more easterly-distributed yellow-footed tortoise of the Amazon Basin.