Indian star tortoise

Indian star tortoise
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Geochelone
Species:
G. elegans
Binomial name
Geochelone elegans
Schoepff, 1795
Synonyms[2]
  • Testudo elegans Schoepff, 1795
  • Testudo stellata Schweigger, 1812
  • Chersine elegans Merrem, 1820
  • Testudo actinoides Bell, 1828
  • Testudo actinodes Gray, 1831 (ex errore)
  • Geochelone (Geochelone) stellata Fitzinger, 1835
  • Testudo megalopus Blyth, 1853
  • Peltastes stellatus Gray, 1870
  • Geochelone elegans Loveridge & Williams, 1957
  • Geochelone elegans elegans Obst, 1985
  • Geochelone elagans Sharma, 1998 (ex errore)

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a threatened tortoise species native to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where it inhabits dry areas and scrub forest. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2016, as the population is thought to comprise more than 10,000 individuals, but with a declining trend. It is threatened by habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.[1] It was upgraded to CITES Appendix I in 2019 by full consensus among all member states, giving it the highest level of international protection from commercial trade. Conservation group TRAFFIC found 6,040 were seized globally that were intended to be sold in the pet trade.[3] Currently they are commonly bred in many countries to be sold as pets.

Engraving of an Indian star tortoise from “The Royal Natural History” (1896)
  1. ^ a b c Choudhury, B.C.; de Silva, A.; Shepherd, C. (2020). "Geochelone elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T39430A123815345. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39430A123815345.en. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  2. ^ Fritz, U. & Havaš, P. (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 279–368. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895.
  3. ^ "Reptiles and amphibians - Species we work with at TRAFFIC". www.traffic.org. Retrieved 2019-01-10.