''Geochelone'' is a
genus of
tortoises.
''Geochelone'' tortoises, which are also known as typical tortoises or terrestrial turtles, can be found in southern
Asia. They primarily eat
plants.
Species
The genus consists of two
extant
Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to:
* Extant hereditary titles
* Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English
* Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...
species:
A number of tortoise species have been recently removed from the genus. This taxon as formerly defined was "
polyphyletic, representing at least five independent
clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
s".
Tortoises removed include members of ''
Aldabrachelys'' (from the
Seychelles and
Madagascar), ''
Astrochelys''
(Madagascar), ''
Chelonoidis'' (
South America and the
Galápagos Islands), ''
Stigmochelys
''Stigmochelys'' is a genus of tortoise endemic to Africa. ''Stigmochelys pardalis'', the leopard tortoise, is the only extant species. A fossil species, '' Stigmochelys brachygularis'' is known from the Pliocene of Tanzania. Leopard tortoises wer ...
''
and ''
Centrochelys'' (Africa), and the
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
''
Megalochelys'' (southern Asia).
These species are also unique for their ability to remember patterns and spatial pathways. Similar to mammals, these tortoises can remember directions and pathways by remembering the correct pathways in their long-term memory.
Fossils
* ''
Geochelone burchardi'' Tenerife giant tortoise
* ''
Geochelone vulcanica'' Gran Canaria giant tortoise
* ''
Geochelone robusta'' Malta giant tortoise
"Self-righting" shell
The form of the shell of the Indian star tortoise resembles a ''
gömböc'', allowing it to turn over when lying upside down very easily.
References
*
Geochelone Report' in
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
External links
*
Care tips
{{Taxonbar, from=Q132328
Turtle genera
Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger
Extant Miocene first appearances