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30 August 2019 On the nomenclature of the largest tortoise that ever lived: Megalochelys sivalensis Falconer & Cautley, 1837 vs. Colossochelys atlas Falconer & Cautley, 1844 (Reptilia, Testudinidae)
Evangelos Vlachos
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Abstract

One of the most iconic tortoise species, coming from the Sivalik Hills in India and probably the largest tortoise that ever lived, has a complicated nomenclatural history. Although initially published as Megalochelys sivalensis, the same authors decided to replace the name a few years later as Colossochelys atlas, starting a discussion on the proper nomenclature of this species that continues to date. I briefly review the original information and conclude that the original combination Megalochelys sivalensis is available under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and should be considered as the valid name for the Sivalik's Tortoise.

Evangelos Vlachos "On the nomenclature of the largest tortoise that ever lived: Megalochelys sivalensis Falconer & Cautley, 1837 vs. Colossochelys atlas Falconer & Cautley, 1844 (Reptilia, Testudinidae)," The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 76(1), 162-164, (30 August 2019). https://doi.org/10.21805/bzn.v76.a050
Published: 30 August 2019
KEYWORDS
Availability
Colossochelys atlas
description
Geochelone
Megalochelys atlas
Megalochelys sivalensis
Sivalik Hills
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