Reptiles Database

Homopus signatus GMELIN, 1789

        
 

Higher Taxa

Testudinidae, Testudines (turtles

Subspecies

Homopus signatus signatus (SCHOEPFF 1801)
Homopus signatus cafer (DAUDIN 1802

Common Name

Speckled Cape Tortoise, Speckled Padloper

Synonym

Testudo signata WALBAUM 1782 (nomen illegitimum)
Testudo signata GMELIN in LINNAEUS 1789
Testudo signata SCHOEPFF 1801
Testudo cafra DAUDIN 1802
Testudo juvencella DAUDIN 1831 (in GRAY)
Homopus signatus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1835: 152
Homopus Signatus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1854: 222
Homopus signatus — GRAY 1873: 320
Pseudomopus signatus peersi HEWITT 1935
Homopus signatus — BOUR 1980
Homopus signatus — VALVERDE 2005

Location

Republic of South Africa (Little Namaqualand, from Kleinzee and Springbok southward to Graafwater and Clanwilliam

Holotype

Comment

Homopus signatus cafer is one of the most endangered turtle species according to a 2003 assessment by the IUCN.

Carapax length: 11 cm (males only 8 cm).

This is the smallest tortoise

References
  • Bauer, A.M., and Branch, W.R. 2003. The herpetofauna of the Richtersveld National Park, Northern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa. Herpetological Natural History 8:111-160 [2001]
  • Bayoff, Nicolas 1995. Observations and morphometric data on the Namaqualand speckled tortoise, Homopus signatus signatus (Gmelin, 1789), in South Africa Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 1 (3): 215-220
  • Boulenger,G.A. 1888. On new or little known South African reptiles. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6) 2: 136-141
  • Bour,R. 1980. Essai sur la taxinomie des Testudinidae actuels (Reptilia, Chelonii). Bull. Mus. natl. Hist. nat. Paris (4) 2 (2): 541-546
  • Boycott, R. 1987. A review of Homopus signata (Schoepff) with notes on related species (Cryptodira: Testudinidae). Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa, Stellenbosch. 32:10-16.
  • Dobiey, M. 2006. Gesägte Flachschildkröte - Homopus signatus signatus (GMELIN 1789). Reptilia (Münster) 11 (5): 51-54
  • Duerden, J.E. 1906. South African tortoises of the genus Homopus, with description of a new species. Records of the Albany Museum 1: 405-411
  • Duméril, A. M.C., G. BIBRON & A. DUMÉRIL 1854. Erpétologie générale ou Histoire Naturelle complète des Reptiles. Vol. 9. Paris, XX + 440 S.
  • Duméril, A.M.C., and G. Bibron. 1835. Erpétologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles, Vol. 2. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, iv + 680 p.
  • Ernst,C.H. and Barbour,R.W. 1989. Turtles of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. - London
  • Gray,J.E. 1873. Additional notes on the form of the bones in the sternum of very young tortoises, and their development. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) 12: 319-323
  • Greig, J.C., and P.D. Burdett. 1976. Patterns in the distributions of Southern African terrestrial tortoises (Cryptodira: Testudinidae). Zool. Africana 11(2): 250-267.
  • Loehr, V. J. T., B. T. Henen and M. D. Hofmeyer 2004. Reproduction of the smalles tortoise, the Namaqualand Speckled Padloper, Homopus signatus signatus. Herpetologica 60 (4):444-454
  • Loehr, Victor J. T. 2006. Natural diet of the Namaqualand Speckled Padloper Homopus signatus signatus. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 5 (1): 149-152
  • Loehr, Victor J. T., Brian T. Henen and Margaretha D. Hofmeyr 2006. Shell characteristics and sexual dimorphism in the Namaqualand Speckled Padloper, Homopus signatus signatus. African Journal of Herpetology 55(1):1-11.
  • Loveridge, Arthur & Williams, Ernest E. 1957. Revision of the African Tortoises and Turtles of the Suborder Cryptodira. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 115 (6): 163-557
  • Schoepff, J.D. 1792. Historia Testudinum Iconibus Illustrata. J.J. Palm, Erlangae [=Erlangen]. xii + 136 pp.
  • Valverde, J. 2005. African Tortoises. Reptilia (GB) (43): 12-20
  • Valverde, J. 2005. Afrikanische Landschildkröten. Reptilia (Münster) 10 (6): 18-25


 
 
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