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[edit]

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[edit]

• †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[edit]

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.