Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Silvia Centrón and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
ARGENTINE TORTOISE Chelonoidis chilensis
Tortoises are terrestrial turtles, they cannot swim and have feet adapted for locomotion on land - not flattened as in the turtles. There are two species of Tortoise found in Paraguay, though neither is easy to find. The Argentine Tortoise is the smallest of the two. Tortoises are vegetarians, feeding entirely on plant matter and using their bird-like "beak" to crop the most succulent shoots.
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPREP22PH) Adult, Laguna Ganso, Cuenca de Upper Yacaré Sur (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 2 - (FPREP23PH) Same individual as (FPREP22PH) from front (Hugo del Castillo February 2007).
FIGURE 3 - (FPREP24PH) Same individual as (FPREP22PH) dorsal view (Sylvia Centrón February 2007).
FIGURE 4 - (FPREP470PH) Adult in defensive posture dorsal, Estancia Mobil Center, 20km West of Madrejón, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 5 - (FPREP471PH) Same individual as (FPREP470PH) defensive posture ventral (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 6 - (FPREP472PH) Same individual as (FPREP470PH) defensive posture frontal (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 7 - (FPREP473PH) Same individual as (FPREP470PH) defensive posture frontal (Paul Smith November 2010).
FIGURE 8 - (FPREP975PH) Adult emerging from shell, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
FIGURE 9 - (FPREP976PH) Adult lateral, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
FIGURE 10 - (FPREP977PH) Variant dorsum, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
FIGURE 11 - (FPREP978PH) Head detail, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
FIGURE 12 - (FPREP979PH) Female ? ventrum, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
FIGURE 13 - (FPREP980PH) Male ventrum, PN Defensores del Chaco, Departamento Alto Paraguay (Paul Smith October 2017).
VIDEO - (FPREP474VI) Adult, Fortín Boquerón, Deparamento Boquerón (Paul Smith November 2010).
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Gallery 2 Juvenile
FIGURE 2a - (FPREP26PH) Juvenile male, PN Tte Enciso, Departmento Boquerón (Paul Smith October 2009).
FIGURE 2b - (FPREP27PH) Dorsal view of (FPREP26PH) in defensive posture (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 2c - (FPREP28PH) Ventral view of (FPREP26PH) (Paul Smith July 2006).
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