Bolson Tortoise vs. Sonoran Desert Tortoise

The only two tortoises recorded in New Mexico. A: Yellowish tan, the plates with dark centres and the edge pale yellow in the Bolson Tortoise; dark grey-brown to horn, without a pale yellow edge in the Sonoran Desert Tortoise. Place decides in New Mexico: the Bolson Tortoise only in fenced herds on two ranches in Sierra County; the Sonoran Desert Tortoise only as a rare stray near the Arizona line. The Bolson grows bigger (to 15 in shell).

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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