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Hesperotestudo
Taxonomy
Testudo (Hesperotestudo) was named by Williams (1950). It is not extant.
It was Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) by Auffenberg (1962), Auffenberg (1963), Auffenberg (1971), Parris and Daeschler (1995); it was reranked as Hesperotestudo by Hutchison (1992), Hutchison (1996), Meylan and Sterrer (2000), Cisneros (2005), de la Fuente et al. (2014), Vlachos and Rabi (2018), Vlachos (2018), May (2019), Weems (2023).
It was assigned to Testudo by Williams (1950), Williams (1953), Milstead (1956); to Geochelone by Auffenberg (1962), Auffenberg (1963), Auffenberg (1971), Parris and Daeschler (1995); to Testudininae by Vlachos and Rabi (2018); to Testudinidae by Hutchison (1992), Hutchison (1996), Meylan and Sterrer (2000), Cisneros (2005), de la Fuente et al. (2014), Vlachos (2018), May (2019); and to Xerobatinae by Weems (2023).
It was Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) by Auffenberg (1962), Auffenberg (1963), Auffenberg (1971), Parris and Daeschler (1995); it was reranked as Hesperotestudo by Hutchison (1992), Hutchison (1996), Meylan and Sterrer (2000), Cisneros (2005), de la Fuente et al. (2014), Vlachos and Rabi (2018), Vlachos (2018), May (2019), Weems (2023).
It was assigned to Testudo by Williams (1950), Williams (1953), Milstead (1956); to Geochelone by Auffenberg (1962), Auffenberg (1963), Auffenberg (1971), Parris and Daeschler (1995); to Testudininae by Vlachos and Rabi (2018); to Testudinidae by Hutchison (1992), Hutchison (1996), Meylan and Sterrer (2000), Cisneros (2005), de la Fuente et al. (2014), Vlachos (2018), May (2019); and to Xerobatinae by Weems (2023).
Subtaxa
Eupachemys, Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) angusticeps, Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) orthopygia, Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) wilsoni, H. bermudae, H. crassiscutata (syn. Testudo sellardsi), H. ducateli, H. gilbertii, H. harrisi, H. orthopygia (syn. Testudo rexroadensis, Xerobates cyclopygius, Geochelone nordensis), H. osborniana (syn. Testudo arenivaga, Testudo farri, Testudo impensa, Caryoderma snovianum), H. turgida (syn. Geochelone oelrichi, Testudo incisa, Testudo wilsoni, Geochelone mlynarskii, Geochelone johnstoni, Geochelone alleni, Testudo riggsi), H. williamsi, Testudo tedwhitei
Species lacking formal opinion data
Entered
by J. Alroy on 2008-03-16; modified by E. Vlachos on 2025-06-26
Synonyms
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Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1877 | Eupachemys Leidy |
| 1902 | Eupachemys Hay p. 448 |
| 1950 | Testudo (Hesperotestudo) Williams |
| 1953 | Testudo tedwhitei Williams p. 537 |
| 1953 | Testudo (Hesperotestudo) Williams p. 542 |
| 1956 | Testudo (Hesperotestudo) Milstead p. 168 |
| 1957 | Testudo tedwhitei Ray |
| 1962 | Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) Auffenberg p. 628 |
| 1963 | Geochelone (Caudochelys) Auffenberg p. 69 |
| 1963 | Geochelone (Caudochelys) tedwhitei Auffenberg p. 80 |
| 1963 | Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) Auffenberg p. 81 |
| 1971 | Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) Auffenberg p. 115 |
| 1992 | Hesperotestudo Hutchison |
| 1995 | Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) Parris and Daeschler p. 567 |
| 1996 | Hesperotestudo Hutchison p. 345 |
| 2000 | Hesperotestudo Meylan and Sterrer |
| 2005 | Hesperotestudo Cisneros p. 241 |
| 2014 | Hesperotestudo de la Fuente et al. |
| 2018 | Hesperotestudo Vlachos |
| 2018 | Hesperotestudo Vlachos and Rabi p. 663 |
| 2019 | Hesperotestudo May |
| 2023 | Hesperotestudo Weems |
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If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
G. †Hesperotestudo Williams 1950
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†Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) angusticeps Matthew 1924
†Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) orthopygia Cope 1878
†Geochelone (Hesperotestudo) wilsoni Milstead 1956
†Hesperotestudo bermudae Meylan and Sterrer 2000
†Hesperotestudo ducateli Collins and Lynn 1936
†Hesperotestudo gilbertii Hay 1899
†Hesperotestudo harrisi Lichtig and Lucas 2022
†Hesperotestudo orthopygia Cope 1878
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Invalid names: Geochelone nordensis Holman 1973 [synonym], Testudo rexroadensis Oelrich 1952 [synonym], Xerobates cyclopygius Cope 1878 [synonym]
†Hesperotestudo osborniana Hay 1904
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Invalid names: Caryoderma snovianum Cope 1886 [synonym], Testudo arenivaga Hay 1906 [synonym], Testudo farri Hay 1908 [synonym], Testudo impensa Hay 1908 [synonym]
†Hesperotestudo turgida Cope 1892
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Invalid names: Geochelone alleni Auffenberg 1966 [synonym], Geochelone johnstoni Auffenberg 1962 [synonym], Geochelone mlynarskii Auffenberg 1988 [synonym], Geochelone oelrichi Holman 1972 [synonym], Testudo incisa Hay 1916 [synonym], Testudo riggsi Hibbard 1944 [synonym], Testudo wilsoni Milstead 1956 [synonym]
†Hesperotestudo williamsi Auffenberg 1964
Invalid names: Caudochelys Auffenberg 1963 [synonym], Eupachemys Leidy 1877 [nomen dubium], Testudo tedwhitei Williams 1953 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| P. A. Meylan and W. Sterrer 2000 | North American land tortoises with very well developed dermal armour, with those ossicles over the tail united and, in combination with enlarged transverse processes of the caudal vertebrae, forming a caudal buckler (Auffenberg, 1963, 1974) or a tail club (DMNH 1600 and 1601); nuchal scute longer than wide; posteriorly excavated epiplastra; medially narrowed pectoral scutes; large inguinal scute in broad contact with femoral scute; transverse ridge (=commissural ridge) on premaxilla, median maxillary ridge and lingual ridge extending onto premaxilla; foramen praepalatinum obsolete; acromion process forming very large angle (110°) to body of scapula. |
Measurements
| part | N | mean | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| carapace height | 1 | 131.0 |
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| Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum | |||||
| References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988, Ernst and Barbour 1989 | |||||
Age range: base of the Early/Lower Uintan to the top of the Rancholabrean or 45.90000 to 0.01400 Ma
Collections (107 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early/Lower Uintan | USA (Utah) | H. sp. (186888) | |
| Uintan | USA (Utah) | H. sp. (186896) | |
| Whitneyan | USA (South Dakota) | H. sp. (185698) | |
| Arikareean | USA (South Dakota) | H. sp. (17517) | |
| Late/Upper Oligocene | USA (Virginia) | H. wilsoni (167203) | |
| Harrisonian | USA (Nebraska) | Testudo arenivaga (17735 195408) | |
| Miocene | USA (Texas) | Testudo crassiscutata (190386) | |
| Miocene - Pleistocene | USA (Texas) | Testudo turgida (99818) | |
| Burdigalian | USA (Maryland) | H. williamsi (71810) | |
| Burdigalian | USA (Delaware) | H. wilsoni (18579) | |
| Hemingfordian | USA (Texas) | Testudinata indet. (18626) | |
| Hemingfordian | USA (Florida) | H. sp. (18561) Testudo tedwhitei (18597) | |
| Hemingfordian | USA (Nebraska) | Testudo angusticeps (18001) | |
| Hemingfordian - Barstovian | USA (Colorado) | Testudo osborniana (191836) | |
| Barstovian | USA (Montana) | Testudo farri (191916) | |
| Barstovian | USA (Nebraska) | Geochelone orthopygia (18141 18165 18275 18442) Geochelone orthopygia, Geochelone nordensis (18223 18284) Testudo orthopygia (18123) | |
| Barstovian | USA (New Mexico) | H. harrisi (225602) | |
| Early/Lower Barstovian - early Late Barstovian | USA (California) | H. sp. (156738) | |
| Langhian | USA (Maryland) | H. ducateli (70819) Testudo ducateli (100213) | |
| Clarendonian | USA (Kansas) | Geochelone orthopygia (18450) | |
| Clarendonian | USA (Nebraska) | H. orthopygia (188779) Testudinidae indet. (18324) | |
| Clarendonian | USA (Texas) | H. sp. (18610 18611 18623) | |
| Early/Lower Clarendonian | USA (Florida) | H. sp. (161374) | |
| Clarendonian - Hemphillian | USA (Oklahoma) | H. sp. (70119) | |
| Clarendonian - Pliocene | USA (Oklahoma) | H. sp. (170193) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene | Canada (Yukon) | H. sp. (206138) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene - Early/Lower Pliocene | USA (California) | H. orthopygia (183467 183468 183469 183470 183471) | |
| Tortonian - Zanclean | USA (Kansas) | Xerobates undata (191555) | |
| Hemphillian | USA (Montana) | Testudo impensa (191918) | |
| Hemphillian | Costa Rica | H. sp. (240851) | |
| Hemphillian | USA (California) | Geochelone sp. (19446) | |
| Hemphillian | USA (Florida) | Geochelone alleni (18545 18560) Geochelone sp. (18601) Geochelone turgida (18556) | |
| Late/Upper Hemphillian | USA (Texas) | Geochelone sp. (18036) | |
| Late/Upper Hemphillian | USA (Oklahoma) | Testudo riggsi (18076) | |
| Late/Upper Hemphillian - Blancan | USA (Indiana) | H. sp. (18320) | |
| Late/Upper Hemphillian - Blancan | USA (Tennessee) | H. sp. (26574) | |
| Pliocene | USA (California) | H. orthopygia (67489) | |
| Pliocene - Gelasian | USA (Florida) | H. sp. (242028) | |
| Blancan | USA (Kansas) | Testudo rexroadensis (19936 19940) | |
| Blancan | USA (New Mexico) | H. sp. (19968 230461) | |
| Blancan | USA (Florida) | H. sp. (113275) | |
| Blancan | USA (Arizona) | Geochelone sp. (19618) | |
| Blancan | USA (Nebraska) | Geochelone oelrichi (19954) Geochelone oelrichi, Geochelone sp. (19963) | |
| Blancan | USA (Texas) | Geochelone johnstoni (20033) | |
| Blancan | Mexico (Baja California Sur) | Geochelone sp. (19673) | |
| Blancan - Irvingtonian | El Salvador | H. crassiscutata (70118) | |
| Late/Upper Pliocene | USA (Texas) | Testudo turgida (191451) | |
| Late/Upper Pliocene | USA (Kansas) | Testudo riggsi (99819) | |
| Piacenzian - Gelasian | USA (California) | H. sp. (166974) | |
| Late/Upper Pliocene - Early/Lower Pleistocene | USA (Nebraska) | Geochelone oelrichi (191910) | |
| Pleistocene | USA (Florida) | H. crassiscutata (227368) H. sp. (206227) Testudo incisa (195410) | |
| Pleistocene | USA (Texas) | Testudo crassiscutata (85137 196056) | |
| Calabrian | USA (Florida) | Geochelone crassiscutata, Geochelone sp. (20400) H. crassiscutata (20402) | |
| Irvingtonian | USA (Texas) | Geochelone sp. (20342) | |
| Irvingtonian | USA (California) | H. sp. (28222) | |
| Irvingtonian | USA (Florida) | Geochelone mlynarskii (20289) H. mlynarsii, H. crassiscutata (58089) H. sp. (26550) | |
| Irvingtonian | USA (South Carolina) | Hesperotestudo indet. (79919) | |
| Rancholabrean | USA (Florida) | Geochelone crassiscutata, Geochelone incisa (20491) H. crassiscutata (20440) Testudo sellardsi (180339) | |
| Rancholabrean | Mexico (Hidalgo) | H. sp. (113410) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene | USA (Florida) | Geochelone crassiscutata, Geochelone incisa (154805) H. crassiscutata (154804) Testudo sellardsi (34269) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial) | USA (Georgia) | H. crassicutata, H. incisa (20604) H. incisa (20613) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene | Bermuda | H. bermudae (190749) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial) | USA (Texas) | Geochelone crassiscutata (93103) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial) | USA (Texas) | Geochelone wilsoni (76101) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene | USA (Texas) | H. sp. (230753) Testudo wilsoni (79632) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial) | USA (Mississippi) | Geochelone crassiscutata (164397) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial) | USA (Florida) | Geochelone crassiscutata (154921) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial) | USA (Florida) | Geochelone crassiscutata (79667) Testudo sellardsi (20616) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial) | USA (Florida) | H. incisa (154722) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (high glacial) | USA (New Mexico) | Geochelone wilsoni (76059) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial) | USA (Georgia) | H. sp., H. crassiscutata (75066) | |
| Late/Upper Pleistocene (glacial) | USA (Mississippi) | Geochelone crassiscutata (164396) |