Angonoka tortoise

Angonoka tortoise
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Astrochelys
Species:
A. yniphora
Binomial name
Astrochelys yniphora
Synonyms[4]
  • Testudo yniphora Vaillant, 1885
  • Testudo radiata yniphora Siebenrock, 1909
  • Testudo hyniphora Vaillant & Grandidier, 1910 (ex errore)
  • Asterochelys yniphora Loveridge & Williams, 1957
  • Geochelone yniphora Loveridge & Williams, 1957
  • Geochelone ynophora Arnold, 1979 (ex errore)
  • Astrochelys yniphora Bour, 1985
  • Testudo (Geochelone) yinphora Paull, 1999 (ex errore)
  • Angonoka yniphora Le, Raxworthy, McCord & Mertz, 2006

The angonoka tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora) is a critically endangered species of tortoise severely threatened by poaching for the illegal pet trade. It is endemic to Madagascar.[5] It is also known as the angonoka, ploughshare tortoise, Madagascar tortoise, or Madagascar angulated tortoise.[1] There may be fewer than 400 of these tortoises left in the wild. It is found only in the dry forests of the Baly Bay area of northwestern Madagascar, near the town of Soalala (including Baie de Baly National Park). A captive-breeding facility was established in 1986 by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now the Durrell Trust) in collaboration with the Water and Forests Department. In 1996, 75 tortoises were stolen, which later appeared for sale in the Netherlands. The project was ultimately successful, achieving 224 captive-bred juveniles out of 17 adults in 2004. Project Angonoka developed conservation plans that involved local communities making firebreaks, along with the creation of a park to protect the tortoise and the forests. Monitoring of the angonoka tortoise in the global pet trade has also continued to be advocated.

  1. ^ a b Leuteritz, T.; Pedrono, M.; et al. (Madagascar Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Red List Workshop) (2008). "Astrochelys yniphora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T9016A12950950. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T9016A12950950.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ^ Rhodin et al. 2010, p. 000.116.
  4. ^ Fritz & Havaš 2007, p. 268.
  5. ^ Fritz, U.; Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P. (3 July 2007). "When genes meet nomenclature: Tortoise phylogeny and the shifting generic concepts of Testudo and Geochelone". Zoology. 110 (4). Elsevier: 298–307. doi:10.1016/j.zool.2007.02.003. PMID 17611092.