Radiated tortoise
Amazing fact
A radiated tortoise has nerves in its shell and can feel when it is touched.
Smithsonian National Zoo
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A radiated tortoise has nerves in its shell and can feel when it is touched.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Radiated tortoise
- Scientific name
- Astrochelys radiata
- Japanese name
- ホウシャガメ
- Group
- Amphibians and reptiles
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Testudines
- Family
- Testudinidae
- Genus
- Astrochelys
A tortoise found nowhere but Madagascar, living in dry woodlands and similar places in the south of the island.
Its name, hosha, means 'radiating': bright lines spread out from the top of its high, domed shell.
It is a plant-eater that feeds during the day on grasses, fruit, and soft leaves.
How the Radiated tortoise lives
They graze repeatedly in the same area, keeping its plants short. They seem to choose new growth over mature plants. During courtship, the male bobs his head and sniffs the female’s hind legs and nearby areas.
Smithsonian National ZooBasic data
- Size
- about 40 cm
- Weight
- about 13 kg
- Diet
- Plants such as fruit including melons and soft leaves
- Range
- Southwestern Madagascar
Where the Radiated tortoise has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- ホウシャガメ
- 简体中文
- 辐射陆龟
- 繁體中文
- 射紋龜
- 한국어
- 방사거북
- Français
- Tortue Radiée De Madagascar
- Deutsch
- Strahlenschildkröte
- Português (Brasil)
- Tartaruga-estrelada-de-madagascar
- Italiano
- Testuggine raggiata
- العربية
- سلحفاة مشععة
- Русский
- Лучистая черепаха
- ไทย
- เต่าราเดียตา
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — ホウシャガメChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Astrochelys radiataChecked: 2026-11-03
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Radiated tortoiseChecked: 2026-11-06
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Radiated tortoise, look for this
- Look for the black patch on top of its yellow head.
- Look at its elephant-like feet, too.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
Smithsonian National ZooEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Radiated tortoise
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Testudinidae
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