Aldabrachelys

Aldabrachelys
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Aldabrachelys Loveridge and Williams, 1957[1]
Synonyms
Megalochelys Fitzinger, 1843 Dipsochelys, Bour, 1982

Aldabrachelys^[1] is the recognised genus for the Seychelles and Madagascan radiations of giant tortoises, including the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea).

Naming

This name is problematic in that the type specimen is actually a Chelonoidis denticulata;^[2] however, this is being discussed and petitioned before the ICZN.^[3]

Species

• †A. abrupta - Abrupt giant tortoise (extinct)
• †A. grandidieri - Grandidier's giant tortoise (extinct)
• A. gigantea – four subspecies recognised

A. g. arnoldi – Arnold's giant tortoise

†A. g. daudinii – Daudin's giant tortoise (extinct)

A. g. gigantea – Aldabra giant tortoise

A. g. hololissa – Seychelles giant tortoise

Tortoise remains from over 1000 years ago, which have been found on the Comoros, are believed to have been from unknown species of the same genus.^[4]

References

Tortoise family of turtles (Testudinidae)
Genus	Species of the tortoise family
Aldabrachelys	Aldabra giant tortoise
Astrochelys	Angonoka tortoise Radiated tortoise
Chelonoidis	Yellow-footed tortoise Chaco tortoise Galápagos tortoise Red-footed tortoise
Chersina	Angulate tortoise
Centrochelys	African spurred tortoise
Cylindraspis†	Domed Mauritius giant tortoise† Domed Rodrigues giant tortoise† Réunion giant tortoise† Saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise† Saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise†
Geochelone	Burmese star tortoise Indian star tortoise
Gopherus	Bolson tortoise Desert tortoise Gopher tortoise Sonoran Desert tortoise Texas tortoise
Homopus	Common padloper Nama padloper Karoo padloper Greater padloper Speckled padloper
Indotestudo	Elongated tortoise Forsten's tortoise Travancore tortoise
Kinixys	Bell's hinge-back tortoise Forest hinge-back tortoise Home's hinge-back tortoise Lobatse hinge-back tortoise Natal hinge-back tortoise Speke's hinge-back tortoise
Malacochersus	Pancake tortoise
Manouria	Asian forest tortoise Impressed tortoise
Psammobates	Geometric tortoise Serrated tortoise Tent tortoise
Pyxis	Flat-backed spider tortoise Spider tortoise
Stigmochelys	Leopard tortoise
Testudo	Hermann's tortoise Kleinmann's tortoise Marginated tortoise Russian tortoise Spur-thighed tortoise
Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2012 update: annotated checklist. Key: †=extinct.