Testudo gilbertii (Hay, 1899)

Hay, OP, 1899, On the nomenclature of certain American fossil vertebrates, The American Geologist 24, pp. 345-349 : 348-349

Mr. J. Z. Gilbert ll has described the skull of a species of Testudo from the Loup Fork beds of Kansas and identified it with Prof. Cope`s T. undata , described * from the Loup Fork deposits of New Mexico. Since nothing is known of the latter species except a few marginals and a costal bone, there is really no evidence that the fine skull described by Gilbert belongs to T. undata . The probabilities are greater that it belongs to one of the species described by Prof. Copet from the Loup Fork beds of Kansas, Testudo orthopygia and T. cyclopygia . Ut T. orthopygia Prof. Cope possessed most of the skeleton including the skull. A comparison of Mr. Gilbert's figures and description with the description of Prof. Cope makes it pretty certain that the former is not identical with T, orthopygia . Of T. cyclopygia the skull is not known, and we have no means of comparing it with Mr. Gilbert's species. This being the case, it is better, I believe, to give the latter a distinct name. so that its literature may be kept separate until further discoveries demonstrate its relationship to other described forms.

I name it in honor of its describer Testudo gilbertii .