The specific name, vosmaeri, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Arnout Vosmaer (1720–1799).[4]
Taxonomy
Engravings of C. vosmaeri shell, 1792.
Both Cylindraspis vosmaeri and its smaller domed relative, Cylindraspis peltastes, were descended from an ancestral species on Mauritius (an ancestor of Cylindraspis inepta), which colonised Rodrigues by sea many millions of years ago, and then gradually differentiated into the two Rodrigues species.
Description
The saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was an exceptionally tall species of giant tortoise, with a long, raised neck and an upturned carapace, which gave it a giraffe-like body shape almost similar to that of a sauropod dinosaur.
It lived by browsing the taller vegetation, while its much smaller relative, the domed Rodrigues giant tortoise, grazed on low vegetation such as fallen leaves and grasses.
The saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was described by early colonists as a docile, gentle browser, with a tendency to gather in large herds, especially in the evening. An early Huguenot settler, in 1707, described the unusual group behaviour of these animals:
"There's one thing very odd among them; they always place sentinels, at some distance from the troop at the four corners of the camp, to which the sentinels turn their backs, and look with their eyes, as if they were on watch. This we have always observed of them; and this mystery seems the more difficult to be comprehended, for that these creatures are incapable to defend themselves..." (Leguat, 1707)[5]
Behaviour and ecology
It has subsequently been discovered that the browsing herds of giant tortoises filled an essential role in the ecosystem of Rodrigues and the regeneration of its forests. Among other roles, the giant tortoises ensured the dispersal and germination of tree seeds, as well as "terraforming" the island by maintaining forest clearings and pools.
In recognition of this fact, measures have been undertaken to introduce replacement species, in the form of similar giant tortoises from other parts of the world, to assist in the rebuilding of Rodrigues' devastated environment. The replacement species for the saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was chosen to be the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) of the Seychelles, which is roughly similar in size, though very different in body form.[6]
At the time of the arrival of human settlers, dense giant tortoise herds of many thousands were reported on Rodrigues. Typically for isolated island species, they were reported to have been friendly, curious, and unafraid of humans.
However, in the ensuing years, massive harvesting and exporting for food and the introduction of invasive species rapidly exterminated the giant tortoises. Tentative conservation efforts began in the 18th century, with the French Governor Mahé de Labourdonnais attempting to legislate against the "tortoise plundering" of Rodrigues. However, the wholesale slaughter continued. Hundreds of thousands were loaded into ships' holds for food, or to be transported to Mauritius where they were burnt for fat and oil. Due to their unusually thin shells, many died from crushing as they were densely stacked in the holds of ships.
In the final years, only smaller specimens were found, lingering in isolated mountainous refuges inland. A surviving giant tortoise was reported on the island in 1795, found at the bottom of a ravine. As late as 1802, there is a mention of survivors reportedly being killed in the large fires used to clear the island's vegetation for agriculture, but it is not clear which one of the two Rodrigues species these were, and which one survived the longest.[7]
References
^World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). "Cylindraspis vosmaeri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T6065A12391587. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T6065A12391587.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
^Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 278–279. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755. S2CID 87809001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-01. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
^Pedrono, Miguel; Griffiths, Owen L.; Clausen, Alison; Smith, Lora L.; Griffiths, Christine J.; Wilmé, Lucienne; Burney, David A. (2013). "Using a surviving lineage of Madagascar's vanished megafauna for ecological restoration". Biological Conservation. 159: 501–506. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2012.11.027.
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cylindraspis vosmaeri, p. 276).
^Leguat de la Fougère, François (1707-8). Voyage et avantures de François Leguat & de ses compagnons en deux îles déserte des Indes Orientales. Amsterdam: J.J. de Lorme. 2 vols. (in French).
^Cheke A, Hume J (2008). Lost Land of the Dodo: An Ecological History of Mauritius, Réunion & Rodrigues. London: T & AD Poyser.
^. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-31.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cylindraspis vosmaeri.
Further reading
Suckow, A. (1798). Anfangsgründe der theoretischen und angewandten Naturgeschichte der Thiere. Dritter Theil. Von den Amphibien. Leipzig: Weidmannischen Buchhandlung. 298 pp. (Testudo indica vosmaeri, new subspecies, p. 57). (in German).
April 29, 2023
saddle, backed, rodrigues, giant, tortoise, saddle, backed, rodrigues, giant, tortoise, cylindraspis, vosmaeri, extinct, species, giant, tortoise, family, testudinidae, species, endemic, rodrigues, human, exploitation, caused, extinction, this, species, around. The saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoise Cylindraspis vosmaeri is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae The species was endemic to Rodrigues Human exploitation caused the extinction of this species around 1800 3 Saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoiseEngraving of the only taxidermy specimenConservation statusExtinct around 1800 IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder TestudinesSuborder CryptodiraSuperfamily TestudinoideaFamily TestudinidaeGenus CylindraspisSpecies C vosmaeriBinomial name Cylindraspis vosmaeriSuckow 1798Synonyms 2 Testudo indica vosmaeri Suckow 1798 Testudo rotunda Latreille 1801 Chersine rotunda Merrem 1820 Testudo vosmaeri Fitzinger 1826 Geochelone Cylindraspis vosmaeri Fitzinger 1835 Geochelone Geochelone rotunda Fitzinger 1835 Cylindraspis vosmaeri Fitzinger 1843 Testudo rodericensis Gunther 1873 Testudo commersoni Vaillant 1898 Testudo commersonii Siebenrock 1909 ex errore Geochelone commersoni Pritchard 1967 Cylindraspis commersonii Wilms 1999 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 3 Description 4 Behaviour and ecology 5 Extinction 6 References 7 External links 8 Further readingEtymology EditThe specific name vosmaeri is in honor of Dutch naturalist Arnout Vosmaer 1720 1799 4 Taxonomy Edit Engravings of C vosmaeri shell 1792 Both Cylindraspis vosmaeri and its smaller domed relative Cylindraspis peltastes were descended from an ancestral species on Mauritius an ancestor of Cylindraspis inepta which colonised Rodrigues by sea many millions of years ago and then gradually differentiated into the two Rodrigues species Description EditThe saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was an exceptionally tall species of giant tortoise with a long raised neck and an upturned carapace which gave it a giraffe like body shape almost similar to that of a sauropod dinosaur It lived by browsing the taller vegetation while its much smaller relative the domed Rodrigues giant tortoise grazed on low vegetation such as fallen leaves and grasses The saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was described by early colonists as a docile gentle browser with a tendency to gather in large herds especially in the evening An early Huguenot settler in 1707 described the unusual group behaviour of these animals There s one thing very odd among them they always place sentinels at some distance from the troop at the four corners of the camp to which the sentinels turn their backs and look with their eyes as if they were on watch This we have always observed of them and this mystery seems the more difficult to be comprehended for that these creatures are incapable to defend themselves Leguat 1707 5 Behaviour and ecology EditIt has subsequently been discovered that the browsing herds of giant tortoises filled an essential role in the ecosystem of Rodrigues and the regeneration of its forests Among other roles the giant tortoises ensured the dispersal and germination of tree seeds as well as terraforming the island by maintaining forest clearings and pools In recognition of this fact measures have been undertaken to introduce replacement species in the form of similar giant tortoises from other parts of the world to assist in the rebuilding of Rodrigues devastated environment The replacement species for the saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoise was chosen to be the Aldabra giant tortoise Aldabrachelys gigantea of the Seychelles which is roughly similar in size though very different in body form 6 Extinction Edit Photo of the only taxidermy specimen Museum d histoire naturelle At the time of the arrival of human settlers dense giant tortoise herds of many thousands were reported on Rodrigues Typically for isolated island species they were reported to have been friendly curious and unafraid of humans However in the ensuing years massive harvesting and exporting for food and the introduction of invasive species rapidly exterminated the giant tortoises Tentative conservation efforts began in the 18th century with the French Governor Mahe de Labourdonnais attempting to legislate against the tortoise plundering of Rodrigues However the wholesale slaughter continued Hundreds of thousands were loaded into ships holds for food or to be transported to Mauritius where they were burnt for fat and oil Due to their unusually thin shells many died from crushing as they were densely stacked in the holds of ships In the final years only smaller specimens were found lingering in isolated mountainous refuges inland A surviving giant tortoise was reported on the island in 1795 found at the bottom of a ravine As late as 1802 there is a mention of survivors reportedly being killed in the large fires used to clear the island s vegetation for agriculture but it is not clear which one of the two Rodrigues species these were and which one survived the longest 7 References Edit World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996 Cylindraspis vosmaeri IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996 e T6065A12391587 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 1996 RLTS T6065A12391587 en Retrieved 14 November 2021 Fritz Uwe Havas Peter 2007 Checklist of Chelonians of the World PDF Vertebrate Zoology 57 2 278 279 doi 10 3897 vz 57 e30895 ISSN 1864 5755 S2CID 87809001 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 05 01 Retrieved 29 May 2012 Pedrono Miguel Griffiths Owen L Clausen Alison Smith Lora L Griffiths Christine J Wilme Lucienne Burney David A 2013 Using a surviving lineage of Madagascar s vanished megafauna for ecological restoration Biological Conservation 159 501 506 doi 10 1016 j biocon 2012 11 027 Beolens Bo Watkins Michael Grayson Michael 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Cylindraspis vosmaeri p 276 Leguat de la Fougere Francois 1707 8 Voyage et avantures de Francois Leguat amp de ses compagnons en deux iles deserte des Indes Orientales Amsterdam J J de Lorme 2 vols in French Cheke A Hume J 2008 Lost Land of the Dodo An Ecological History of Mauritius Reunion amp Rodrigues London T amp AD Poyser Recently Extinct Animals Species Info Saddle backed Rodrigues Giant Tortoise Archived from the original on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2014 12 31 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cylindraspis vosmaeri Rodrigues Saddle backed Tortoise The Extinction WebsiteFurther reading EditSuckow A 1798 Anfangsgrunde der theoretischen und angewandten Naturgeschichte der Thiere Dritter Theil Von den Amphibien Leipzig Weidmannischen Buchhandlung 298 pp Testudo indica vosmaeri new subspecies p 57 in German Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saddle backed Rodrigues giant tortoise amp oldid 1151472249, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
