Chersobius
Sign in to saveChersobius is a genus of tiny tortoises in the family Testudinidae, endemic to southern Africa. The genus includes the smallest tortoises in the world. All three species were previously assigned to the genus Homopus.
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- Speckled Padloper - Homopus Signatus 1.jpg
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- Chersobius
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- Naming
- Distribution
- Species
- Conservation and captivity
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Chersobius is a genus of tiny tortoises in the family Testudinidae, endemic to southern Africa. The genus includes the smallest tortoises in the world. All three species were previously assigned to the genus Homopus.
==Naming== As a group, these closely related species are commonly known in Europe and Africa as padlopers (originally meaning "path-walkers" in Afrikaans), due to their habit of making tiny pathways through vegetation. In other parts of the world, such as the United States, they are known as Cape tortoises.