Species / Testudines taxon
Lord Howe Island Tortoise
Meiolania platyceps
The horned turtle is an extinct species of large, terrestrial turtle that lived during the Pleistocene in Australia and nearby islands.
Lineage: Turtles and Tortoises (TESTUDINES) > Extinct Modern Taxa (EXTINCT MODERN TAXA) > Pleurodira (Extinct) (PLEURODIRA) > Austro-American Side-necked Turtles (Extinct) (CHELIDAE) > Lord Howe Island Tortoise (Meiolania) > Lord Howe Island Tortoise (Meiolania platyceps). This path helps place the taxon within its family, genus, or species-level context.
- Chinese Name
- 普氏大头蛇颈龟 (灭绝)
- English Name
- Lord Howe Island Tortoise
- Scientific Name
- Meiolania platyceps
- Rank
- Species
Plate notes
Meiolania platyceps
Trivia
It is often called the 'horned turtle' due to its bizarre skull ornamentation, and is a well-known fossil from the Pleistocene megafauna.
Overview
The horned turtle is an extinct species of large, terrestrial turtle that lived during the Pleistocene in Australia and nearby islands.
Scientific Name
Meiolania platyceps
Ecological Habits
Terrestrial, likely herbivorous, feeding on tough vegetation. Its large size and armor suggest few predators.
Major Threats & Conservation
Extinct. Overhunting by early humans and habitat change are probable causes. No conservation possible.
Morphological Characteristics
Carapace up to 2 meters long, with a unique horned head and spiked tail. Skull showed robust jaws. Limbs columnar like elephants.
Natural Distribution & Conservation Status
Fossils found in Queensland (Australia) and Lord Howe Island. Extinct since the late Pleistocene, likely due to human activity and climate change.
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