[1] The gopher tortoises live in the southern United States from California's Mojave Desert across to Florida, and in parts of northern Mexico.

Numerous extinct species are known, the oldest dating to the Priabonian stage of the Late Eocene of the United States.

[5] In July 2011, researchers decided on the basis of DNA, and morphological and behavioral data that the Sonoran and Mojave populations of the desert tortoise, G. agassizii were distinct species.

The acceptance of G. morafkai reduced the range of G. agassizii by about 70%[7] In 2016, based on a large-scale genetic analysis, ecological and morphological data, researchers proposed a split between the Sonoran and Sinaloan populations.

[8] As such, there are currently six recognized extant species in the genus Gopherus: Listed alphabetically by binomial name:[9] (Cooper, 1863) southern Nevada, and extreme southwestern Utah and northwest Arizona, north and west of the Colorado River.

[10]: 3–4 p. (Agassiz, 1857) USA, eastern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, Mexico with a few old records (questionable) from southern San Luis Potosí.

The female will then choose either a sunny spot nearby or a sandy mound in front of her burrow to lay between 3 and 15 eggs.

The bladder plays a major function in regulating blood osmolality: permeable to ammonia, urea, water, and small ions, but not uric acid.

Documented examples include a variety of bones, snail shells, soil at mineral licks, charcoal, sand, stones, human trash, carrion, raptor pellets and various animals feces.

Gopherus polyphemus studies observed specimens moving bones into their burrows and found the fourth most common matter in their scats was insect material.

Hypotheses on the consumption of nonfood items such as soil or rocks include mastication or vermifuge for the removal of parasites.