Aldabrachelys

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Cladus: Archelosauria
Division: Pan-Testudines
Division: Testudinata
Ordo: Testudines
Subordo: Cryptodira
Superfamilia: Testudinoidea

Familia: Testudinidae
Genus: Aldabrachelys
Species: †A. abrupta – A. gigantea – †A. grandidieri
Name

Aldabrachelys Loveridge & Williams 1957: 166
Synonymy

Megalochelys Fitzinger 1843: 29 (junior homonym)
Aldabrachelys Loveridge & Williams 1957: 166
Dipsochelys Bour 1982: 117

References

Loveridge, A. and Williams , E.E. 1957. Revision of the African tortoises and turtles of the suborder Cryptodira. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 115(6): 163–557.
Bour, R. 1982: Contribution a la connaissance des tortues terrestres des Seychelles: definition du genre endemique et description d'une espece nouvelle problement oringinaire des iles granitiques et au bord de l'extinction. Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences (III), 295(2): 117–122. full article (PDF) Reference page.
Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Rhodin, A.G.J., Shaffer, H.B. & Bour, R.) 2014. Turtles of the world, 7th edition: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status. Chelonian Research Monographs 5(7):000.329–479 Reference page.

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Seychellen-Riesenschilkröten

Aldabrachelys[1] is the recognised genus for the Seychelles and Madagascan radiations of giant tortoises, including the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea).
Naming

This name is problematic in that the type specimen is actually represents Chelonoidis denticulata;[2] however, this was discussed and petitioned before the ICZN[3] and accepted: the name Aldabrachelys is therefore the correct name for this genus.
Species

†A. abrupta - abrupt giant tortoise (extinct)
†A. grandidieri - Grandidier's giant tortoise (extinct)
A. gigantea – with the following subspecies:

A. g. arnoldi – Arnold's giant tortoise
†A. g. daudinii – Daudin's giant tortoise (extinct)
A. g. gigantea – Aldabra giant tortoise
A. g. hololissa – Seychelles giant tortoise

Tortoise remains from over 1,000 years ago, which have been found on the Comoros, are believed to have been from an unknown species of the same genus.[4]
References

Loveridge A, Williams EE (1957). "Revision of the African tortoises and turtles of the suborder Cryptodira". Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 115: 163-557.
Bour R (2006). "Identity of Testudo gigantea Schweigger, 1812 and rediscovery of the type specimen". Emys 13 (4): 12–23.
Frazer J (2009). "Testudo gigantea Schweigger, 1812 (currently Geochelone (Aldabrachelys) gigantea; Reptilia, Testudines): proposed conservation of usage of the specific name by maintenance of a designated neotype, and suppression of Testudo dussumieri Gray, 1831 (currently Dipsochelys dussumieri)". Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 66 (1):Case:3463[permanent dead link]
Gerlach J, Canning KL (1996). "Evolution and History of the Giant Tortoises of the Aldabra island group". Testudo 4 (3): 33-40. Archived 2016-03-06 at the Wayback Machine