# Can someone help me ID this shell???



## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

any ideas???


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## Yvonne G (Mar 19, 2009)

Another test for Danny the Wonder Man!

Yvonne


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## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

Thats was what i was thinking? LOL


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## Millerlite (Mar 19, 2009)

where did you find the pictures or did you take them? how big was it?


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## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm thinking about buying it from some one who thinks its a snapping turtle shell, but it obviously belonged to some type of tortoise. The demintions are 13 1/2" LONG ,9 1/4" WIDE AND ABOUT 5 1/2" TALL.


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## egyptiandan (Mar 19, 2009)

It's the shell of a female Gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus. 

Danny


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## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

Thanks Danny


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## Kristina (Mar 19, 2009)

I was going to guess DT, I would have been half right (Gopherous)

Kristina


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## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

I dont know how she gets snapping turtle out of it lol 

Would it be illegal for me to purchase it? Are the endangered or threatened? If it is illegal does the fact she would be selling it under the assumption of it being a common snapper shell make a difference???


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## Laura (Mar 19, 2009)

That was my wonder.. can you posses the shell? Or buy it without some sort of documentation>?


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## jorrow (Mar 19, 2009)

I hope so since i was a kid i always wood keep turtle shells when i found them i havent ever had a tort shell other than my live one.... I think it would be a pretty cool item to own


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## Yvonne G (Mar 19, 2009)

I imagine it depends upon which state you are in. Here in California you can't buy any thing about a gopherus tortoise of any kind...not eggs or tortoises or shells, and that includes the Texas, Florida and Mexico Gopherus.

I guess what threw me about the pictures is the color. I was leaning towards some sort of Indonesian water turtle of some sort. The Florida tortoise never entered my mind. Danny you just blow me away!

Yvonne


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## egyptiandan (Mar 19, 2009)

It would depend on what state you were in Josh. It's not federally protected, but it is protected in every state it's native to.

I'm not that good 

Danny


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## Yvonne G (Mar 19, 2009)

egyptiandan said:


> I'm not that good
> Danny



Oh no? Well, you've got most of us here fooled then!

Yvonne


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## jorrow (Mar 20, 2009)

Ok I live in Alabama as far as i know they are not native here, but if they live in in the pan handle of flordia then they may be in Alabama.


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## egyptiandan (Mar 20, 2009)

They are native to Alabama I'm afraid Josh, so not legal to buy or sell the shell. Even if you found it you would probably need a permit to keep it.

Danny


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## Nay (Mar 20, 2009)

Hi, I'm not trying to stir things up(well maybe just alittle) 
But aside from the fact that some idiots would be out there collecting shells to add to their collection, what harm is it for poor Josh to posess that shell.? I collect feathers and if I have an eagle feather in my collection, it could harbor a 10 thousand,(yes 10 thousand ) dollar fine. I don't have one, but as anyone may know birds, they are always moulting and feathers are everywhere. I know they are different, but the poor turtle is already dead!! We have some laws out there to protect these guys and I certainly understand that, but if I were Josh I would have it on my shelf already. (and hope the tort police don't knock down the door!!!)
Nay


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## Itort (Mar 20, 2009)

Well, the worst that would probably happen (unless you made a stink about it) is it would be seized and end up in a museum or such. I have seen this happen with molted eagle and other raptor feathers (only Native Americans can posess these).


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## jorrow (Mar 20, 2009)

Well i was going to get it anyway because i could have documintoin that it was sold to me as a snapper shell. But I was only going to spend 50.00 max and it ended up going for 61.00 on ebay. O well.... Danny are they in central and southern AL??? Because i live in north Al and have never seen one or heard of one being seen.


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## egyptiandan (Mar 20, 2009)

They are in southern Alabama along the coast. They range all the way to southeastern Louisana.

Danny


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## jorrow (Mar 20, 2009)

o ok thanks Danny


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## jorrow (Mar 24, 2009)

Any idea on this one Danny or anyone else???

It is 3 1/2" and width 2 3/4". I was thinking Sulcata but I really dont know for sure.


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## egyptiandan (Mar 24, 2009)

It's probably a young Gopher tortoise. It's definately in the Gopherus genus.

Danny


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## jorrow (Mar 24, 2009)

Ok thanks Danny when i get ahold of it i may drop u a email with some better pics so i can tag it....

Well now that i think of it, that could be illegal to.... Even though its not a Flordia Gopher, its still a Gopher..... I'm pretty sure its a young desert tortoise...


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