New land tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from the Miocene of Africa |
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Authors: | PETER MEYLAN WALTER AUFFENBERG |
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Institution: | Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida 32611, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | The described fossil testudinids from the Miocene of Africa are reviewed. Geochelone stromeri sp. nov . is described from Lower Pliocene (Langebaanweg) and Miocene (Namib) specimens. Kinixys erosa , an extant species, is reported from Songhor Hill. Chersina sp. is reported from Arrisdrift. Impregnochelys pachytectis gen. et sp. nov . is described from Rusinga Island, Kenya, and is unique in having the anterior shell opening orientated ventrally and in having struts on the internal surface of the neurals, but shares with Kinixys a unique epiplastron shape, a high number of axillary scutes and unique orientation of the head of the femur. |
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Keywords: | Geochelone Kinixys Chersina Impregnochelys Testudines Rusinga Songhor Hill Arrisdrift Miocene new taxa |
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