Stigmochelys
Genus of turtles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stigmochelys, from Ancient Greek στίγμα (stígma), meaning "spot", and χέλυς (khélus), meaning "turtle", is a genus of tortoise endemic to Africa. Stigmochelys pardalis, the leopard tortoise, is the only extant species.[1] Leopard tortoises were once placed in the genus Geochelone along with many other large tortoises.[2] Two fossil species are known:
- †Stigmochelys brachygularis Laetoli beds, Tanzania, Pliocene carapace length 40–50 centimetres (1.3–1.6 ft).[3]
- †Stigmochelys crassa Kenya, Miocene-Pliocene carpace length >70 centimetres (2.3 ft)[3]
| Stigmochelys Temporal range: Pliocene–recent | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Testudinidae |
| Genus: | Stigmochelys Gray, 1873 |
| Species | |
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