Large Pleistocene tortoise tracks on the Cape south coast of South Africa

Abstract Although tortoises (Testudinidae) are a familiar clade of reptiles, with body fossil record extending to at least the Eocene, hitherto no tortoise ichnosites have been described. Here, number sites attributed trackmakers identified within Pleistocene aeolianites on South Africa's Cape south coast. These date from late Marine Isotope Stage 6 4. The findings indicate large trackmakers, evidence trackmaker length more than meter—substantially longer largest extant in southern Africa. This suggests either presence an extinct very species, or that leopard region were larger their descendants. Variations substrate properties responsible for variety track and trace forms. A mismatch exists between reported ichnological tortoises, regional archaeological records, which almost exclusively comprise smaller tortoises. illustrate potential ichnology complement augment paleontological records.