(top three pictures of animals bred in the EU, bottom picture of brygooi subspecies bred in the US and now residing at the Memphis Zoo)

      Pyxis arachnoides-Malagasy spider tortoise        Origin: Madagascar

An absolutely stunning species from the island of Madagascar.   Unfortunately between political instability, tremendous overdevelopment (a recent trip there by a contact noted that the island was wreathed in smoke as he flew in from all of the ongoing burning), and the almost complete lack of law enforcement regarding native fauna, the situation for this and the other three Malagasy species is beyond critical.   If you have not read John Behler's report from 2001 on his trip to Madagascar and the spider and radiated tortoise corpses strewn across the landscape with just their livers collected, you need to do so.  Fortunately for this species, several of the subspecies are being reproduced in captivity. 

Links to further information on P. arachnoides:

Recent information and pictures at the most complete chelonian site on the web: World Chelonian Trust- www.chelonia.org

Bill Zovickian's arachnoides FAQ:  http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/pyxis.html

Studbook in the EU: http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~loehr/pyxis/

Pictures and information: http://www.landschildkroeten.com/Pyxis_arachnoides.html

Excellent map of locality data for subspecies: http://www.landschildkroeten.com/Verbreitung_pyxis_sp.jpg