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New giant tortoise species has been discovered in the Galapagos Islands. As writes m24.ru, groups of scientists compared the DNA of tortoises, living in the lowlands of San Cristobal Island with bones and shells collected in 1906 in a cave in the highlands of the same island.
By the result of research specialists decided, that animals living within the same range actually belong to different species. According to the latest data, about eight thousand tortoises, living in the Galapagos Islands, belongs to another species. In accordance with specialists, existed at the beginning of the last century Chelonoidis chathamensis tortoise species at present time, with a high degree of probability, are extinct. Nevertheless, this species in the past, most likely coexisted with the currently existing species. At the same time, some tortoises settled in the highlands, and others in the lowlands.
Now scientists plan to conduct an analysis with using more DNA from the bones and shells to determine whether to give a new name to the San Cristobal tortoise species.