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Tortoises: The Oldest Island Hoppers

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Origin, Evolution and Biogeographic History of South American Turtles

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

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Abstract

Tortoises are terrestrial turtles grouped in the clade Testudinidae. This clade represents 18 % of the living turtle diversity and is the most widespread group of nonmarine turtles, distributed across all nonpolar continents except Australia. The fossil history of the clade dates back to the Palaeocene of Asia. The South American forms are represented by the genus Chelonoidis, which includes 4 extant and 4 extinct named species. The invasion of tortoises in South American is a contentious subject, and two continental sources have been proposed (Central America and Africa).

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Courtesy Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONICET Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael, Parque Mariano Moreno S/N, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

    Marcelo S. de la Fuente

  2. CONICET Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina

    Juliana Sterli

  3. CONICET Fundación de Historia Natural Felix de Azara Universidad Maimonides, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Ignacio Maniel

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  3. Ignacio Maniel
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de la Fuente, M.S., Sterli, J., Maniel, I. (2014). Tortoises: The Oldest Island Hoppers. In: Origin, Evolution and Biogeographic History of South American Turtles. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00518-8_3

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