RHODIN, A. G. J., IVERSON, J. B., BOUR, R., FRITZ, U., GEORGES, A., BRADLEY SHAFFER, H. & VON DIJK, P. P. (2021)
TURTLES OF THE WORLD. Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status (9th Ed.).
Chelonian Research Monographs 8: 1-472. Published by Chelonian Research Foundation and Turtle Conservancy
Abstract:
This is our 9th edition of an annotated checklist and atlas of all recognized taxa of the world’s modern turtle and tortoise fauna, documenting recent changes and controversies through mid-2021, and including all primary synonyms, updated from eight previous checklists. We provide an updated comprehensive listing of taxonomy and nomenclature, including type localities, type specimens, detailed distribution maps, as well as calculated presumed historic indigenous ranges, conservation status, and maximum known sex-based carapace lengths for all taxa. We strive to record the most recent justified taxonomic assignment of taxa in a hierarchical framework, providing detailed annotations, including alternative arrangements for a few taxa. We include current published and provisional IUCN Red List status assessments for all species, as well as current listings on CITES appendices. The diversity of turtles and tortoises in the world that has existed in modern times (since 1500 CE) and currently generally recognized as distinct and included in this checklist, now consists of 357 species. Of these, 58 are polytypic, representing 129 additional recognized subspecies (one unnamed), or 486 total taxa of modern chelonians, increased from 478 taxa in our previous checklist. Of these, 5 species and 5 subspecies (one unnamed), or 10 taxa (2.1%), are extinct. We also include a supplementary checklist of 17 taxa of terrestrial chelonians that went extinct during the Holocene from ca. 10,000 BCE to 1500 CE. As of the current IUCN 2021 Red List, 171 turtle species (62.4% of the 274 species red-listed, 47.9% of all 357 recognized modern species) are officially regarded as globally Threatened (Critically Endangered [CR], Endangered [EN], or Vulnerable [VU]). We record additional provisional Red List assessments by the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, allowing us to evaluate the overall current threat levels for all 357 species of turtles and tortoises. Of these, 183 (51.3%) are Threatened (CR, EN, or VU); if we provisionally adjust for predicted threat rates of Data Deficient (DD) species, then ca. 55.9% of all extant turtles are Threatened. These numbers and percentages of Threatened species have increased since our last checklist, although our reclassification of 12 Threatened Galápagos tortoises as subspecies rather than species has moderated the results; the number and percentage of Threatened species increases to 193 (52.3% of 369) if they are considered full species. Turtles and tortoises are among the most threatened of the major groups of vertebrates..
Volltext: https://iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/crm.8.checklist.atlas_.v9.2021.e3.pdf
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