One of the world’s rarest and most elusive tortoises—an exquisite miniature species found only in the dry, spiny forests of western Madagascar. A close relative of the more famous spider tortoise, this species is even rarer and more secretive, existing in one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth.

Its most distinctive feature is its flattened, smooth carapace, which differentiates it from the more domed shell of the spider tortoise. The shell’s coloration is a muted palette of brown, tan, and golden-yellow, often marked with faint radiating lines that form a subdued spiderweb pattern—beautiful yet perfectly suited for camouflage among the leaf litter and sandy soils of the western forests. Its plastron (the underside of the shell) has a movable hinge, allowing it to close tightly when threatened—a remarkable adaptation that helps conserve moisture and deter predators.

The flat-backed spider tortoise’s home, the Menabe region of western Madagascar, is a landscape of dry deciduous forests, thorny shrubs, and sandy terrain, where rainfall is scarce and the sun unforgiving. Here, the tortoise has evolved a lifestyle built around the rhythms of the rainy and dry seasons. During the brief rainy period, from November to April, it becomes active, feeding and breeding while the vegetation is lush and moisture is abundant. It grazes on succulent leaves, wildflowers, fallen fruits, and grasses, obtaining nearly all its water from food. But when the long dry season arrives, lasting up to eight months, the tortoise disappears underground—entering a state of aestivation, a form of dormancy that allows it to survive extreme drought.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Madagascar

<10,000

CR

2008