Geochelone
Geochelone elegans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Geochelone Fitzinger, 1835
Species
G. elegans G. platynota G. sulcata

Geochelone is a genus of tortoises.

Geochelone tortoises, which are also known as typical tortoises or terrestrial turtles, can be found in Africa and Asia. They primarily eat plants.

The genus consists of three extant species:

• Indian star tortoise (G. elegans)
• Burmese star tortoise (G. platynota)
• African spurred tortoise (G. sulcata)

A number of tortoise species have been recently removed from the genus. This taxon as formerly defined was "polyphyletic, representing at least four independent clades".^[1] Tortoises removed include members of Aldabrachelys (from the Seychelles and Madagascar), Astrochelys^[2] (Madagascar), Chelonoidis (South America and the Galápagos Islands), Stigmochelys^[2] (Africa) and earlier, the extinct genus Colossochelys (southern Asia).

"Self-righting" shell[edit]

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[edit]

• Geochelone Report in Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved January 12, 2008.

External links[edit]

• Chaco tortoise media at ARKive
• Care tips

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.