How do you tell the difference?

[Scooter]

When looking at a Desert, Texas, and Gopher tortoise I can usually spot the gopher, though I don't know why I know its a gopher (does that make sense?). So I was wondering what the anatomical/scientific difference between the three species are?
Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

This one wasn't written in lay terms and is a little over your/my head, but it describes all three tortoises:

http://www.csub.edu/~dgermano/ShellMorphNAmTort.pdf

 

[dmmj]

This one wasn't written in lay terms and is a little over your/my head, but it describes all three tortoises:

http://www.csub.edu/~dgermano/ShellMorphNAmTort.pdf

Are you calling me dumb?

 

[Yvonne G]

Would I do that?

Michael J. Connor wrote a nice article describing the two tortoises (agassizii and berlandieri) with drawings, but I can't find it. Its online, but I'm evidently not putting in the correct words for the search.

 

[Scooter]

Thanks Yvonne, I will read through the article.

 

[armandoarturo]

very interesting article yvonne...
a little confusing for my little english skills I guess
I will try to find the illustrations that you are talking about, they might be a little more understandable xD

 

[Scooter]

Thats a great article, Thanks Yvonne!