Turtle and Crocodilian Diversity Flashcards
Side-necked turtles
Pleurodira
15 genera, 56 sp
S America, Australia, New Guinea
Skull flattened and broad or long, cervical scute usually present, intergular scute present b/w or posterior to gulars, pleurodirans
Chelidae
2 genera, 27 sp
Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles
Cervical scute absent, intergular scute b/w gulars, pleurodirans
Pelomedusidae
3 genera, 8 sp
S America and Madagascar
No specimens
pleurodirans
Podocnemididae
Hidden-necked turtles
11 Families, 250 sp
Cryptodira
2 genera, 6 sp
N America, Central America, NW South America (New World)
Reduced plastron, carapace serrated posteriorly, 3 knobby keels on carapace, short bridge, large head, hooked beak, long tail w/ tubercles, head can’t completely retract, cryptodirans, snapping turtles
Chelydridae
13 genera, 31 sp
N America, Africa, Asia, New Guinea
Aquatic, smooth leathery shell, pointed snout (tube-like), flattened body, fully webbed toes, cryptodirans, softshell turtles
Trionychidae
1 genus, 1 sp
New Guinea and N Australia
pig-like snout, only freshwater turtle w/ large flipper-like front limbs, cryptodirans, pignose turtle
Carettochelyidae
6 genera, 7 sp
Temperate and tropical oceans
Only marine turtles, forelimbs more strongly developed than hind, forelimbs paddle-like, head can’t be retracted, cryptodirans, sea turtles and leatherbacks
Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae
4 genera, 25 sp
N and S America
Live in still/slow water, shell elongated, plastron may be reduced and/or hinged, musk glands present, barbells on chin and neck, short tail, cryptodirans, mud and musk turtles
Kinosternidae
1 genus, 1 sp
N Central America
Large aquatic turtle, cryptodirans, no specimens
Critically Endangered
Dermatemydidae
1 genus, 1 sp
SE Asia, S China
Huge head, tail as long as carapace, carapace flattened, head can’t be retracted, cryptodirans, big-headed turtle
Platysternidae
11 genera, 52 sp
N America, S America, Europe, NW Africa, Middle East, Central Asia
Diverse, terrestrial, semi-aquatic, and brackish-water turtles, cryptodirans, painted turtles
Emydidae
Coast and Central Valley
Carapace low w/ network of dark lines that radiate from centers of scutes, head w/ black patterning, cryptodiran
Family: Emydidae
Actinemys marmorata
Scattered pops
Carapace pattern variable but often w/ light parallel streaks in second and third costal scutes, head and limbs striped w/ yellow, red blotch or stripe behind eyes, rear or carapace saw-toothed, dark markings on plastron, cryptodiran
Family: Emydidae
Trachemys scripta
19 genera, 69 sp
Asia, Europe, N Africa, Latin America
Diverse, semi-aquatice, terrestrial, cryptodirans
Geomydidae
17 genera, 57 sp
S North America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Madagascar, some oceanic islands
Terrestrial, elephantine hind limbs, shovel-like forelimbs, absence of webbed toes, cryptodirans
Testudinidae
4 genera, 8 sp
SE US, Central America, S America, E China
Teeth of lower jaw fit in the upper jaw and can’t be seen when the mouth is closed, front feet unwebbed, median and lateral pelvic keeled scale rows merge to become Y-shaped caudal keel
Alligatoridae
2 genera, 2 sp
S Asia, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Peninsular Malaysia
Elongated narrow snout, primarily for piscivory, possibly most aquati of the crocodilians, inhabits fast flowing streams and rivers
Gavialidae
3 genera, 15 sp
Central America, NW South America, West Indies, Southern tip of Florida, Madagascar, Africa, S/SE Asia, Melanasia, N Australia
Fourth tooth of the lower jaw is accommodated in a noth in the upper jaw and is visible when the mouth is closed, longer more narrow snout
Crocodylidae
17 genera, 57 sp
southern NA, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Madagascar, and some oceanic islands
Terrestrial turtles, “elephantine” hind limbs, shovel-like forelimbs, absence of webbed toes
Testudinidae
SE deserts
high domed shell, prominent growth lines on scutes, carapace lacks patterning, plastron lacks hinge, forelimbs covered w/ large conical scales, limbs elephantine, tail short, cryptodiran
Family: Testudinidae
Gopherus agassizii
