Spider tortoise

Spider Tortoise

Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Testudinidae
Genus:	Pyxis
Species:	P. arachnoides
Binomial name
*Pyxis arachnoides* Bell, 1827
Synonyms^[1]
Pyxis arachnoides arachnoides Pyxis arachnoides Bell, 1827 Testudo (Pyxis) aranoides Gray, 1831 (ex errore) Pyxis aranoides Gray, 1831 Pyxis madagascariensis Lesson, 1831 Testudo (Pyxis) arachnoides Fitzinger, 1835 Bellemys arachnoides Williams, 1950 Pyxis arachnoides arachnoides Bour, 1979 Pyxis arachnoides brygooi Pyxoides brygooi Vuillemin & Domergue, 1972 Pyxis arachnoides brygooi Bour, 1979 Pyxis arachnoides oblonga Pyxis arachnoides matzi Bour, 1979 Pyxis arachnoides oblonga Bour, 1985

The Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides) is a species of tortoise in the Testudinidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar and is one of only two species in the genus Pyxis.

Very little is known about the life cycle of this endangered tortoise, which is believed to live for up to 70 years. The remaining tortoises are found only in south western Madagascar, where they inhabit the spiny vegetation of the sandy coastal areas. Here they feed on young leaves, insect larvae, and even the droppings of larger animals.

References

^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2): 292–293. ISSN 18640-5755. Archived from the original on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 29 May 2012.

Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group 1996. Pyxis arachnoides. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 29 July 2007.

v t e Tortoise family of turtles (Testudinidae)

Genus	Species of the tortoise family

Aldabrachelys	Aldabra giant tortoise¹

Astrochelys	Angonoka tortoise Radiated tortoise

Chelonoidis	Argentine tortoise Yellow-footed tortoise Chaco tortoise Galápagos tortoise Red-footed tortoise

Chersina	Bowsprit tortoise

Cylindraspis†	Domed Mauritius giant tortoise† Domed Rodrigues giant tortoise† Réunion giant tortoise† Saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise† Saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise†

Geochelone	African spurred tortoise Burmese star tortoise Indian star tortoise

Gopherus	Bolson tortoise Desert tortoise Gopher tortoise Sonoran Desert tortoise Texas tortoise

Homopus	Beaked cape tortoise Berger's cape tortoise Boulenger's cape tortoise Karoo cape tortoise Speckled padloper tortoise

Indotestudo	Elongated tortoise Forsten's tortoise Travancore tortoise

Kinixys	Bell's hinge-back tortoise Forest hinge-back tortoise Home's hinge-back tortoise Lobatse hinge-back tortoise Natal hinge-back tortoise Speke's hinge-back tortoise

Malacochersus	Pancake tortoise

Manouria	Asian forest tortoise Impressed tortoise

Psammobates	Geometric tortoise Serrated tortoise Tent tortoise

Pyxis	Flat-backed spider tortoise Spider tortoise

Stigmochelys	Leopard tortoise

Testudo	Hermann's tortoise Kleinmann's tortoise Marginated tortoise Russian tortoise Spur-thighed tortoise

Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist. Key: †=extinct. ¹=classification unclear

Extant turtle taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Chelonii or Testudines

Suborder

Superfamily

Family

Subfamily	Genus

Cryptodira

Chelydridae

	Chelydra Macrochelys

Chelonioidea

Cheloniidae

Carettinae	Caretta Lepidochelys

Cheloniinae	Chelonia Eretmochelys Natator

Dermochelyidae

	Dermochelys

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae

	Dermatemys

Kinosternidae

Kinosterninae	Kinosternon Sternotherus

Staurotypinae	Claudius Staurotypus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae

Deirochelyinae	Chrysemys Deirochelys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Trachemys

Emydinae	Clemmys Emys Glyptemys Terrapene

Geoemydidae

Geoemydinae	Batagur Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys

Rhinoclemmydinae	Rhinoclemmys

Platysternidae

	Platysternon

Testudinidae

	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Stigmochelys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae

	Carettochelys

Trionychidae

Cyclanorbinae	Cyclanorbis Cycloderma Lissemys

Trionychinae	Amyda Apalone Chitra Dogania Nilssonia Palea Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx

Pleurodira

Chelidae

Chelinae	Acanthochelys Chelus Mesoclemmys Phrynops Platemys Rhinemys

Chelodininae	Chelodina Elseya Elusor Emydura Myuchelys Pseudemydura Rheodytes

Hydromedusinae	Hydromedusa

Pelomedusidae

	Pelomedusa Pelusios

Podocnemididae

	Erymnochelys Peltocephalus Podocnemis

Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2012 update: annotated checklist. Extinct turtles not included.

Portal Book See also List of Testudines families

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Last modified on 27 February 2013, at 00:05