In Laurent's (1956) survey of herpetofauna of the great lakes region of central Africa, he described a new 
subspecies, Kinixys belliana mertensi. This report was soon followed by the most influential paper on African 
testudinids, Loveridge's and Williams’ monograph on African cryptodires (1957). Their classification was a departure 
from earlier classifications (e.g., Mertens and Wermuth, 1955) which included most tortoises in the single large 
genus Testudo. Instead, they recognized the so-called Ethiopian endemics (Chersina and Psammobates), elevated 
Geochelone to generic level, and severely restricted the genus Testudo to include only north African, Mediterranean 
and southwest Asian tortoises with a prootic concealed in dorsal view, a posterior plastral hinge, and "supranasal" 
scales. In addition, subgenera were proposed for Testudo kleinmanni (subgenus Pseudotestudo) and Geochelone 
gigantea (subgenus Aldabrachelys). Loveridge disclaimed responsibility for these radical changes in classification in 
a footnote. He believed the changes would be overturned by future study; however, I have corroborated (Crumly, 
1984c) most of the changes suggested by Loveridge and Williams (1957). 
Wermuth (1958) usefully reviewed the nomenclature and status of Testudo graeca subspecies. He also 
corrected some nomenclatural errors and noted that Testudo terrestris Forskal, 1775 (as a subspecies of T. graeca) is 
the senior synonym of Testudo floweri Bodenheimer 1935. Legler's (1959) decription of Gopherus flavomarginatus 
followed a year later. He distinguished it from other Gopherus on the basis of a longer intergular and a shorter 
interhumeral sulcus, and a broad head. Khozatsky and Mlynarski (1966) suggested that Testudo horsfieldii be 
allocated to a new genus Agrionemys. They noted that T. horsfieldii had only four toes on the manus and that the 
deeply "V"-shaped humeral pectoral sulcus laterally (but not medially) overlaps the entoplastron. My cladistic 
results (Crumly, 1984b, 1984c) and Kirsch's (pers. comm.) breeding experiments do not support the recognition of a 
separate genus for Testudo horsfieldii. 
In the late sixties and early seventies, Simone Vuillemin published several papers on Malagasian tortoises 
(1968 [with L. Rabodomihamina], 1972 [with C. Domergue], 1972a, and 1972b). Three new species were named in 
the latter three papers. Unfortunately, Vuillemin apparently lacked sufficient comparative material, because all three 
of his new taxa were clearly recognized as synomyms of earlier named species by both Obst (1978) and Bour (1979a, 
1981). Pyxoides brygooi Vuillemin & Domergue (1972) was considered a synomym of Pyxis arachnoides by Obst 
and was afforded subspecific rank (P. arachnoides brygooi) by Bour (1981), because it lacks an anteriorly mobil 
plastral lobe. Testudo morondavaensis Vuillemin (1972a), based on an immature specimen, was rightly 
synonymized with Acinixys planicanda by both Bour and Obst. And Madakinixys domerguei Vuillemin (1972b), 
which was distinguished by dubious vertebral characters, was synonymized with Kinixys belliana by Obst (1978) and 
Bour (1979a). 
Freiberg (1973) named two new species from southern South America, based on insufficient comparative 
material of Geochelone chilensis. The new species were named in honor of Dr. James A. Peters (Geochelone petersi) 
and Dr. Roberto Donoso-Barros (Geochelone donosobarrosi) and were distinguished by size, color, shape and 
thickness of the shell. G. petersi, a northern form of G. chilensis, has a smaller elongated, thick and light colored 
shell; whereas G. donosobarrosi, a southern form of G. chilensis, has a large and dark-colored oval, but very thin 
shell. Marlow and Patton (1982) uncritically accepted Freiberg's names, but also showed that the three populations 
were very Closely related. My reasons for considering Freiberg's species as synonyms of Geochelone chilensis are 
discussed in elsewhere (Crumly, 1984c). In short, Freiberg failed to note sexual dimorphism and latitudinal clinal 
variation within G. chilensis, which could account for the variation he noted. 
The most active student of land tortoise evolution in the past few years has been Roger Bour of the Muséum 
National d'Histoire Natureelle in Paris. His interest has been regional and limited to Madagascar and the islands of 
the Indian Ocean. Some of his papers have been reviews of the confusing nomenclatural history (1978, 1982b, 
1984a) of Malagasian testudinids. His most significant contribution has been to the systematics of Pyxis, an 
endemic tortoise genus of the Malagasy Republic (1979a, 1981, 1982a). In these papers, he recognized two 
subspecies of Pyxis arachnoides and named a third that was later considered a synonym of an earlier name (Bour 
1982a). Thus, the trivial names recommended by Bour (1981, 1982a) are: Pyxis arachnoides arachnoides Bell, 1827; 
P. a. brygooi Vuillemin and Domergue, 1972; and P. a. oblonga Gray, 1869. In these same papers, Bour 
recommended that Acinixys be considered a subgenus of Pyxis, citing P. a. brygooi as an intermediate between 
Acinixys and other Pyxis. For reasons presented elsewhere, I (Crumly, 1984c) prefer to retain Pyxis and Acinixys as 
separate genera. 
Bour has also addressed the taxonomy of Indian Ocean tortoises in several papers. In 1982b, Bour rejected T. 
gigantea Schweigger, 1812, as the proper name for the tortoise species now inhabiting Aldabra and substituted T. 
