Author: Randi Jones

Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
  • Texas Tortoise or Berlandier’s Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Subphylum:     Vertebrata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Gopherus Species:     G. berlandieri Binomial name:     Gopherus berlandieri The carapace (upper shell) of the North American species, the Berlandier’s Tortoise, the tortoise,  Gopherus berlandieri, or the Texas Tortoise is more or less rectangular in shape.  The carapace is…

  • Serrated Hinge Back Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Kinixys Species:     K. erosa Binomial name:     Kinixys erosa We can identify the Hinge Back tortoise, binomial name  Kinixys Erosa, easily by its hinged carapace or upper shell. The hinged carapace permits the shell’s rear to close, thereby protecting the hind feet…

  • Spider Tortoises

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Pyxis Species:     P. arachnoides Binomial name:     Pyxis arachnoides Spider Tortoises belong to the family Testudinidae. This species of tortoise Pyxis arachnoides is endemic or confined to Madagascar. The genus Pyxis has only two species. Arachnoides are one of them.  This is…

  • Red Footed Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Subphylum:     Vertebrata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudine Suborder:        Cryptodira Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Chelonoidis Species:     C. carbonaria Binomial name:     Chelonoidis carbonaria The red-footed tortoises or Chelonoidis carbonaria are the favorite pet tortoises of North and South America. The normal size of an adult is approximately 30 cm (12…

  • Russian Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Suborder:        Cryptodira Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Agrionemys Species:     A. horsfieldii Binomial name:     Agrionemys horsfieldii The Russian tortoise or Horsfield’s tortoise, Agrionemys Horsfieldii or otherwise called Central Asian tortoise is of the genus Agrionemys,  acquiring its name from the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield. This variety is a…

  • Radiated Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Sauropsida Order:        Testudines Suborder:        Cryptodira Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Astrochelys Species:     A. radiate Binomial name:     Astrochelys radiate One can only rarely see a radiated tortoise Astrochelys Radiate belonging to the endangered species,  but they are very good pets. They belong to the family Testudinidae and are…

  • Pinta Island Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Subphylum:     Vertebrata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Chelonoidis Species:     C. nigra Subspecies:     C. n. abingdonii Trinomial name:     Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii Tortoise Chelonoidis Nigra Abingdonii or the Pinta Island tortoise also referred to as the Abingdon Island tortoise the Pinta giant tortoise or the ‘giant’ tortoise…

  • Oldest Tortoise

    Wish the tortoises could speak! Wish that they could tell us stories of those long-forgotten days when wars would rage where there was no nuclear power when letters were still in fashion. Indeed, there still lives a tortoise whose birth can you can date back to the year 1832. Now that is healthy living! Yes,…

  • Indochinese Tortoises (Manouria)

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Reptilia Order:        Testudines Suborder:        Cryptodira Family:     Geoemydidae Subfamily:     Geoemydinae Genus:     Cuora Species:     C. galbinifrons Binomial name:     Cuora galbinifrons Tortoises Manouria refer to the few age-old groups of tortoises that are famous for their fossil record. They generally occupy the southern regions of Asia in the…

  • Leopard Tortoise – The Fourth Largest Tortoise in the World

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordate Class:       Sauropsida Order:        Testudines Suborder:        Cryptodira Superfamily:        Testudinoidea Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Stigmochelys Gray Species:     S. pardalis Binomial name:     Stigmochelys pardalis The Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys Pardalis) has attractive markings and is big in size; One can see them only in South Africa, the eastern region of…

  • Largest (Giant) Tortoises

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Sauropsida Order:        Testudines Suborder:     Cryptodira Family:     Testudinidae Giant Tortoises are reptiles typical of some islands In the tropics. These tortoises often reach enormous proportions so far as size and weight are concerned. A giant tortoise can even weigh 300 Kilos or 660 lbs. They can also grow…

  • Indian Star Tortoise

    Scientific Classification Kingdom:   Animalia Phylum:     Chordata Class:       Sauropsida Order:        Testudines Suborder:        Cryptodira Superfamily:     Testudinoidea Family:     Testudinidae Genus:     Geochelone Species:     G. elegans Binomial name:     Geochelone elegans Indian star tortoises belong to the species of tortoise Geochelone elegans.  You can find this species in the dry areas and scrub forests of India as well…