Anatomy: The Angonoka tortoise has a hard, brown, highly-domed upper shell (the carapace) which is up to about 17 inches (43 cm) long. Males are larger than females.

Behavior: There is a horn-like (plow-shaped) projection on the plastron (lower shell) between the front legs. When males fight other males, they use this projection to ram and overturn their opponent.

Diet: The Angonoka tortoise is an herbivore (plant eater). It eats grasses, herbs, and a wide variety of plants.

Reproduction: The female lays 3 to 6 white, spherical eggs in each clutch (a group of eggs laid together). The eggs are laid in a shallow pit that the female digs with her hind legs. She covers the eggs with soil, then abandons them. These tortoises reach maturity at about 20 years of age.

Classification: Kingdom Animalia (animals), Phylum Chordata (animals with a notochord), Class Reptilia (reptiles), Order Chelonia (turtles, tortoises, and terrapins), Suborder Cryptodira, Family Testudinidae (many land tortoises), Genus Geochelone, Species yniphora.