A Tortoise Shell from a Colonial-Era Shipwreck in Cuba Sheds Light on the Translocation of Chelonoidis Carbonarius

Abstract

Human-mediated species translocations have played a major role in reshaping Caribbean diversity, yet the timing and pathways of many Indigenous and early European introductions remain poorly documented. Here we report a shell of the red-footed tortoise, Chelonoidis carbonarius, recovered from a late sixteenth- to early seventeenth-century shipwreck in northwestern Cuba. Morphological features of the carapace and plastron support its identification as an adult male C. carbonarius, distinguishing it from other species, particularly C. denticulatus. The presence of mainland Chelonoidis in the Antilles has been a topic of great interest, particularly in the timing and mode of their arrival. The presence of this specimen in a colonial shipwreck therefore provides direct archaeological evidence of human transport during the first centuries of European establishment. The absence of cut marks and the completeness of the shell suggest that the specimen may have been transported alive. Furthermore, this finding represents the earliest archaeological evidence of tortoise translocation by Europeans in the Americas. More broadly, it highlights the importance of archaeological remains for reconstructing early colonial faunal exchange, shipboard provisioning practices, and the reshaping of island ecosystems by humans.