African spurred tortoise

African spurred tortoise
At Linton Zoo
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Centrochelys
Species:
C. sulcata
Binomial name
Centrochelys sulcata
(Miller, 1779)
Synonyms[2]
  • Testudo sulcata Miller, 1779
  • Testudo calcarata Schneider, 1784
  • Chersine calcarata Merrem, 1820
  • Geochelone (Geochelone) sulcata Fitzinger, 1835
  • Geochelone senegalensis Fitzinger, 1855
  • Peltastes sulcatus Gray, 1869
  • Centrochelys sulcatus Gray, 1873
  • Centrochelys sulcata Gerlach, 2001
  • Geochelone sulcata senegalensis Ballasina, Vandepitte, Mochi & Fenwick, 2006
  • Geochelone sulcata sudanensis Ballasina, Vandepitte, Mochi & Fenwick, 2006 (nomen nudum)

The African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), also called the sulcata tortoise, is an endangered species of tortoise inhabiting the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, the Sahel, in Africa. It is the largest mainland species of tortoise in Africa, and the third-largest in the world, after the Galapagos tortoise and Aldabra giant tortoise. It is the only living species in its genus, Centrochelys.[3]

  1. ^ Petrozzi, F.; Luiselli, L.; Hema, E.M.; Diagne, T.; Segniagbeto, G.H.; Eniang, E.A.; Leuteritz, T.E.J.; Rhodin, A.G.J. (2021). "Centrochelys sulcata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T163423A1006958. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T163423A1006958.en. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. ^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 279–280. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
  3. ^ "Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group". Retrieved 2022-10-13.