 The current specific designation of nigra ( " black " – Quoy & Gaimard , <unk> ) was resurrected in 1984 after it was discovered to be the senior synonym ( an older taxonomic synonym taking historical precedence ) for the then commonly used species name of <unk> ( " elephant @-@ footed " – Harlan , 1827 ) . Quoy and Gaimard 's Latin description explains the use of nigra : " Testudo toto corpore nigro " means " tortoise with completely black body " . Quoy and <unk> described nigra from a living specimen , but no evidence indicates they knew of its accurate provenance within the Galápagos – the locality was in fact given as California . Garman proposed the linking of nigra with the extinct Floreana subspecies . Later , Pritchard deemed it convenient to accept this designation , despite its <unk> , for minimal disruption to the already confused nomenclature of the species . The even more senior species synonym of <unk> ( " <unk> " – Quoy & Gaimard , <unk> ) is considered a nomen oblitum ( " forgotten name " ) . 
