Tortoises and Turtles

Pleistocene tortoises reached giant sizes

During the Pleistocene epoch, the Midwest was home to a diverse assemblage of turtles, including both species that survive today and several extinct forms. Freshwater turtles such as pond turtles, snapping turtles, and softshell turtles inhabited rivers, lakes, and wetlands, while terrestrial box turtles had become specialized for life outside the water as specialist burrowers. Among the most impressive turtles found in this region were the giant tortoises of the genus Hesperotestudo, which lived across parts of the southern and central United States and could reach shell lengths exceeding one meter. These large herbivores were among the last giant tortoises to inhabit mainland North America.

Western giant tortoise

Hesperotestudo sp.

Temporal Range: 20 million years ago to approximately 10,000 years ago

Geographic Range: Found across southern North America and Central America

Species: H. crassiscutata, H. osborniana, H. turgida, H. ducateli , H. orthopygia

Diet: Herbivorous, grasses, leaves, fruits, some invertebrates

Hesperotestudo was a giant land tortoise that lived in North America during the Pleistocene epoch and was among the largest turtles ever to inhabit the continent. Fossils of several species have been found across the southern and central parts of the US, as well as parts of Central America, where these reptiles occupied warm grasslands, woodlands, and scrub environments. Some North American species grew to shell lengths of more than 3 feet, while others from Central America grew to be nearly 5 feet long, making them much larger than our living types of North American tortoises.

The shell of Hesperotestudo was heavily built and provided protection from large Ice Age predators. It likely fed on grasses, leaves, fruits, and other vegetation available in its environment. It seems to have been able to live in colder environments than many giant tortoises can withstand today.