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Original
Description |
Fitzinger 1835 : 111 |
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Common
name |
Typical Tortoises |
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Distribution |
Tropicopolitan, except absent from Australia |
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Comments |
The taxonomy of the genus Geochelone is disputed. Bour (1980b) elevated all of the previous subgenera to generic status. Crumly (1982a) rejected the subgenera of Geochelone as paraphyletic or premature. He did, however, tentatively retain Indotestudo as a distinct genus. Subsequently, Crumly (1983) tentatively accepted Manouria as a valid genus. More recently, the recognition of Manouria and Indotestudo has been supported by Hoogmoed and Crumly (1984) and Crumly (1984c). Bour (1984c) presented a phylogeny for the genus sensu stricto and recognized subgenera for each monophyletic clade within the genus (see species accounts). Bour's (1988b) opinion that the Galapagos tortoises represent a distinct genus (Elephantopus Gray, 1873) is not followed here, awaiting affirmation by other workers. See Comment under Geochelone gigantea. |
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