Cylindraspis (lat.) Is a genus of recently extinct giant land turtles. All species lived on the Mascarene Islands ( Mauritius , Rodriguez and Reunion ) in the Indian Ocean. Extinct due to hunting and the introduction of invasive predators.
| † Cylindraspis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Skull Cylindraspis sp. (Mauritius) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| International Scientific Name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cylindraspis Fitzinger , 1835 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanished race | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Modern mtDNA studies of bone remains have shown that all species of the genus are descended from a single ancestor that came to Mauritius from Madagascar millions of years ago.
These giant turtles were large and slow, so they became easy prey for humans. They were finally exterminated in the XVIII — XIX centuries.
Types
- † Cylindraspis peltastes - Rodrigue tortoise
- † Cylindraspis vosmaeri - Vosmera giant tortoise
- † Cylindraspis indica - Reunion Giant Tortoise
- † Cylindraspis inepta
- † Cylindraspis triserrata
Illustrations
Cylindraspis indica
Cylindraspis peltastes
Cylindraspis vosmaeri
Literature
- Darevsky I. S. , Orlov N. L. Rare and endangered animals. Amphibians and reptiles: Right. manual / ed. V.E. Sokolova . - M .: Higher School, 1988. - p. 54. - 463 p., [16] l. silt - 100 000 copies - ISBN 5-06-001429-0 .
- Arnold, EN 1979. Indian Ocean tortoises: their systematics and island adaptations. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 286 (1011): 127–145
- Austin, JJ, Arnold, EN (2001). Indian tortoises (Cylindraspis), ancient mitochondrial DNA and morphology of the ocean. Proceedings: Biological Sciences, Volume 268, Number 1485, Pages: 2515-2523.
- Bour, R. 1980. Systematique des tortues terrestres des iles Mascareignes: genre Cylindraspis Fitzinger, 1835 (Reptilia, Chelonii). BULLETIN DU MUSEUM NATIONAL D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE SECTION
- Bour, R. 1984. Les tortues terrestres geantes des iles de l'ocean Indien occidental. Studia Geologica Salamanticensia 1; 17—76
- Cheke, A., Hume, J. (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo, An Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rordrigues. T & AD Poyser, London.
- Gerlach, J. 2004. Giant tortoises of the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles Islands and the Mascarenes. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, 208 pp.
- Gerlach, J. & Canning, KL 1997. Aldabra island group, tortoises of the Aldabra island group. Testudo 4 (3); 33—40