Tortuga Gazette 29(7): 7, November 1992

Differentiating Desert and Texas Tortoises

by Michael J. Connor

The native desert tortoise is the most common Gopherus tortoise found in captivity in California, but the smaller Texas tortoise, once imported in large numbers for the pet trade, is still fairly common in captivity here. The diagrams below, taken from the article "Tortoise ID" by A. H. Brame and D. J. Peerson in the September/October 1969 issue of the International Turtle and Tortoise Society Journal illustrate the major obvious differences between the two species. Note the carapace shapes. Generally, the Texas tortoise has a rougher and broader or more squared-off carapace than does the desert tortoise.