This giant tortoise was numerous in the 17th and early 18th centuries. They were killed in vast numbers by European sailors, and finally became extinct in the 1840s.[3]
The Réunion giant tortoise was 50 to 110 cm long. It was the largest of the Cylindraspis giant tortoise species of the Mascarenes. It was roughly the same size as modern Aldabra giant and Galapagos giant tortoises, though it was a longer and more elongated animal.[4]
It had long legs and a long neck which supported a large head with powerful, strongly-serrated jaws. The species was sexually dimorphic, in that males were noticeably larger than females.
It was also a highly variable species. A problem arises when identifying this species because it appears there were domed variants as well as saddle-backed variants.[3]
Distributionedit
This species was endemic to Réunion. On this island it was naturally extremely numerous, and its vast herds provided an important role in the health and rejuvenation of the indigenous forests.[5][6]
Extinctionedit
1737 illustration of the severed head and skull of a specimen
These giant tortoises were very friendly, curious, and had no fear of humans. They were, therefore, easy prey for the first inhabitants of the island, and were slaughtered in vast numbers to be burnt for fat and oil, or to be used as food (for humans or pigs). Large numbers were also stacked into the holds of passing ships, as food supplies for sea trips.[7][8]
In addition, invasive species, such as pigs, cats, and rats, destroyed the eggs and hatchlings of the giant tortoises.
Coastal populations were completely decimated by the 18th century. It was presumed extinct in much of the island since 1800, with the last specimen observed in Upper Cilaos. The last few animals survived in the highlands until the 1840s.[3][9][10]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cylindraspis indica.
Referencesedit
^ abWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). "Cylindraspis indica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T6061A12383518. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T6061A12383518.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 277. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755. S2CID 87809001.
^Cheke AS, Bour R: Unequal struggle—how humans displaced the tortoise's dominant place in island ecosystems. In: Gerlach, J., ed. Western Indian Ocean Tortoises: biodiversity. 2014.
^C.Stanford: The Last Tortoise: A Tale of Extinction in Our Lifetime. Belknap. 2010. ISBN9780674049925
^C.Chambers: A Sheltered Life: The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise. Oxford University Press. 2007. ISBN9780195223965
^W. Rotschild: . On the gigantic land tortoises of the Seychelles and Aldabra-Madagascar group with some notes on certain forms of the Mascarene group. 1915. Novitates Zoologicae 22.
^P Stoddard, J Peake, C Gordon, R Burleigh: Historical records of Indian Ocean giant tortoise populations. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 1979. 286B
^J. Gerlach: Giant tortoises of the Indian Ocean. The genus Dipsochelys inhabiting the Seychelles Islands and the extinct giants of Madagascar and the Mascarenes. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt. 2004.
^D.Day: The Doomsday Book of Animals. Ebury Press, London. 1981. ISBN0852231830.
December 20, 2023
réunion, giant, tortoise, reunion, giant, tortoise, cylindraspis, indica, extinct, species, giant, tortoise, family, testudinidae, endemic, réunion, island, indian, ocean, 1792, sketch, living, specimenconservation, statusextinct, around, 1800, iucn, scientifi. The Reunion giant tortoise Cylindraspis indica is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae It was endemic to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean 1 Reunion giant tortoise1792 sketch of a living specimenConservation statusExtinct around 1800 IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder TestudinesSuborder CryptodiraSuperfamily TestudinoideaFamily TestudinidaeGenus CylindraspisSpecies C indicaBinomial name Cylindraspis indicaSchneider 1783Synonyms 2 Testudo indica Schneider 1783 Chersine retusa Merrem 1820 Testudo retusa Gray 1831 Chelonura indica Rafinesque 1832 Testudo perraultii Dumeril amp Bibron 1835 Geochelone Cylindraspis perraultii Fitzinger 1835 Cylindrapis indica Agassiz 1857 Megalochelys indica Agassiz 1857 Chersina grayi Strauch 1865 Geochelone graii Pritchard 1967 Geochelone indica Pritchard 1967 Geochelone grayi Auffenberg 1974 Testudo indica perraultii Auffenberg 1974 Cylindraspis borbonica Bour 1978 Cylindraspis graii Bour 1978 Cylindraspis indica Bour 1978 Cylindraspis bourbonica Gerlach 2001 ex errore This giant tortoise was numerous in the 17th and early 18th centuries They were killed in vast numbers by European sailors and finally became extinct in the 1840s 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 2 1 Extinction 3 ReferencesDescription editThe Reunion giant tortoise was 50 to 110 cm long It was the largest of the Cylindraspis giant tortoise species of the Mascarenes It was roughly the same size as modern Aldabra giant and Galapagos giant tortoises though it was a longer and more elongated animal 4 It had long legs and a long neck which supported a large head with powerful strongly serrated jaws The species was sexually dimorphic in that males were noticeably larger than females It was also a highly variable species A problem arises when identifying this species because it appears there were domed variants as well as saddle backed variants 3 Distribution editThis species was endemic to Reunion On this island it was naturally extremely numerous and its vast herds provided an important role in the health and rejuvenation of the indigenous forests 5 6 Extinction edit nbsp 1737 illustration of the severed head and skull of a specimenThese giant tortoises were very friendly curious and had no fear of humans They were therefore easy prey for the first inhabitants of the island and were slaughtered in vast numbers to be burnt for fat and oil or to be used as food for humans or pigs Large numbers were also stacked into the holds of passing ships as food supplies for sea trips 7 8 In addition invasive species such as pigs cats and rats destroyed the eggs and hatchlings of the giant tortoises Coastal populations were completely decimated by the 18th century It was presumed extinct in much of the island since 1800 with the last specimen observed in Upper Cilaos The last few animals survived in the highlands until the 1840s 3 9 10 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cylindraspis indica References edit a b World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996 Cylindraspis indica IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996 e T6061A12383518 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 1996 RLTS T6061A12383518 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Fritz Uwe Peter Havas 2007 Checklist of Chelonians of the World Vertebrate Zoology 57 2 277 doi 10 3897 vz 57 e30895 ISSN 1864 5755 S2CID 87809001 a b c Petermaas nl Cheke AS Bour R Unequal struggle how humans displaced the tortoise s dominant place in island ecosystems In Gerlach J ed Western Indian Ocean Tortoises biodiversity 2014 C Stanford The Last Tortoise A Tale of Extinction in Our Lifetime Belknap 2010 ISBN 9780674049925 C Chambers A Sheltered Life The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise Oxford University Press 2007 ISBN 9780195223965 W Rotschild On the gigantic land tortoises of the Seychelles and Aldabra Madagascar group with some notes on certain forms of the Mascarene group 1915 Novitates Zoologicae 22 P Stoddard J Peake C Gordon R Burleigh Historical records of Indian Ocean giant tortoise populations Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 1979 286B J Gerlach Giant tortoises of the Indian Ocean The genus Dipsochelys inhabiting the Seychelles Islands and the extinct giants of Madagascar and the Mascarenes Edition Chimaira Frankfurt 2004 D Day The Doomsday Book of Animals Ebury Press London 1981 ISBN 0852231830 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reunion giant tortoise amp oldid 1188202828, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
