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Homopus

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Genus of small tortoises from southern Africa

Homopus
Greater padloper (Homopus femoralis)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Homopus
A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1834
Species

2

Homopus is a genus of tiny tortoises in the family Testudinidae, endemic to southern Africa. Three species formerly included in Homopus were reclassified into the genus Chersobius, leaving two remaining as Homopus: the common padloper (H. areolatus) and the greater padloper (H. femoralis).

Naming

As a group, the closely related species in Homopus and Chersobius are commonly known in Europe and Africa as padlopers (originally meaning "path-walkers" in Afrikaans), due to their habit of making tiny pathways through vegetation. In other parts of the world, such as the United States, they are known as Cape tortoises.

Distribution

The genus is indigenous and endemic to South Africa.

Species

The genus contains these species:

Image Common names Scientific name Distribution
Common padloper or parrot-beaked tortoise Homopus areolatus Southern Cape coastal region, the most common padloper species
Greater padloper or Karoo cape tortoise (so-called, although not widespread in the Karoo region) Homopus femoralis The Highveld grasslands, the largest of the padlopers

Conservation and captivity

They are threatened by habitat destruction, traffic on roads, overgrazing, and poaching for the pet trade. Another threat comes from introduced species, such as domestic dogs and pigs.

H. areolatus, unlike H. femoralis, adapts well to captivity, as its diet is not highly specialized. The other Homopus and Chersobius species do not generally survive well in captivity unless some effort is made to supply them with their natural food, that is, endemic plants from the Cape/Karoo regions. Many are taken from their natural habitat each year, and subsequently die as a result, as they do not readily adapt to typical captive diets and environment change. However, they can be very hardy in captivity, and most problems with captive care are caused by faulty nutrition, high humidity, or inadequate husbandry.

References

  1. ^ Homopus. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
  2. "Homopus Research Foundation, reports". Home.caiway.nl. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  3. ^ Corton, M., Homopus (Padloper Tortoise) Care, World Chelonian Trust (retrieved August 20, 2013).
  4. ^ Obst, J.; Richter, K.; Jacob, U. (1988). The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians for the Terrarium. T.F.H. press.
  5. "Scarce Home". Academic.sun.ac.za. Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  6. Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Iverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status" (PDF). p. 000.116. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
  7. ^ "Homopus Research Foundation". Home.caiway.nl. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
Tortoise family
Genera
Species of the tortoise family
Agrionemys
Aldabrachelys
Astrochelys
Centrochelys
Chelonoidis
Galápagos tortoise
Chelonoidis complex
Cheirogaster
Chersina
Chersobius
Cylindraspis
Geochelone
Gopherus
Hadrianus
Hesperotestudo
Homopus
Indotestudo
Kinixys
Malacochersus
Manouria
Megalochelys
Psammobates
Pyxis
Stigmochelys
Stylemys
Testudo
Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. Key: †=extinct.
Testudines
Suborder
Superfamily
Family
Genus
Cryptodira
Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)
Cheloniidae
Dermochelyidae
 
Kinosternoidea
Dermatemydidae
Kinosternidae
Testudinoidea
Emydidae
Geoemydidae
 Platysternidae
Testudinidae
Trionychia
Carettochelyidae
Trionychidae
 
 
Chelydridae
Nanhsiungchelyidae
Protostegidae
 
Pleurodira
 
Araripemydidae
Bothremydidae
Chelidae
Pelomedusidae
Podocnemididae
Sahonachelyidae
 
 
 
Taxon identifiers
Homopus
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