[Yellow-footed Tortoise]

Rio Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil, July 29, 2010

This is one of two tortoises found in the Amazon basin. The other is the Red-footed Tortoise. The Galápagos tortoises are also part of Chelonoidis. These species were formerly placed in a large genus Geochelone, but a study of DNA has revealed that it actually consists of 4 or 5 unrelated groups. The four South American species have been separated in Chelonoidis.