Chelonoidis monensis, also known as the Mona tortoise, is an extinct species of land tortoise that lived on the island of Mona from the Late Pleistocene to around 1000 BCE.[1][2] Evidence for the latter date includes cave drawings. All fossil remains have been found either in or near Liro Cave on the east side of Mona.[3] It had a carapace length of around 50 cm (20 in).

Chelonoidis monensis
Temporal range: Late Pleistocene–Late Holocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Chelonoidis
Species:
C. monensis
Binomial name
Chelonoidis monensis
Williams, 1952
Synonyms
Synonymy
  • Testudo monensis
  • Geochelone monensis
  • Monachelys monensis

References edit

  1. ^ Rhodin, A.G.J.; Thomson, S.; Georgalis, G.; Karl, H.-V.; Danilov, I.G.; Takahashi, A.; de la Fuente, M.S.; Bourque, J.R.; Delfino M.; Bour, R.; Iverson, J.B.; Shaffer, H.B.; van Dijk, P.P.; et al. (Turtle Extinctions Working Group) (2015). Turtles and tortoises of the world during the rise and global spread of humanity: first checklist and review of extinct Pleistocene and Holocene chelonians. Chelonian Research Monographs. Vol. 5. pp. 000e.1–66. doi:10.3854/crm.5.000e.fossil.checklist.v1.2015. ISBN 978-0965354097.
  2. ^ "Chelonoidis monensis Williams 1952". Paleobiology Database.
  3. ^ Albury, Nancy A.; Franz, Richard; Rimoli, Renato; Lehman, Phillip; Rosenberger, Alfred L. (9 August 2018). "Fossil land tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from the Dominican Republic, West Indies, with a description of a new species" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3904): 1–28. doi:10.1206/3904.1. S2CID 92186485. Retrieved 23 January 2023.