Title
Geochelone platynota (Burmese Star Tortoise).
Maximum body size and giantism
Author(s)
Platt, Steven G.;Lwin, Tint;Platt, Kalyar;Elsey, Ruth M.;Rainwater, Thomas R.
Published
2019
Publisher
Herpetological Review
Abstract
Geochelone platynota is a critically endangered tortoise endemic to the Dry Zone of central Myanmar. Once abundant, populations were reduced to near-extinction by a combination of long-term chronic subsistence harvesting coupled with over-collecting to supply high-end international pet markets. As a result, by the early 2000s G. platynota was considered functionally extinct in the wild (Platt et al. 2011. Chelon. Res. Monogr. 5:57.1–57.9). A conservation-breeding program has since proven extremely successful, biological extinction now appears unlikely (Platt et al. 2017a. Herpetol. Rev. 48:570–575), and reintroduction is currently underway at two protected areas in Myanmar (Platt et al. 2017b. Turtle Survival 2017:38–43).
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