Deirochelys

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Deirochelys
Temporal range: Miocene - Recent
Deirochelys reticularia 2008-11-02 289.jpg
Chicken turtle (D. reticularia) basking
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Emydidae
Subfamily: Deirochelyinae
Genus: Deirochelys
Agassiz, 1857
Type species
Deirochelys reticularia
Latreille, 1801
Species [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Dirochelys Baur, 1890 (ex errore)
  • DierochelysLöding, 1922 (ex errore)

Deirochelys is a genus of freshwater turtle in the family Emydidae, the pond and marsh turtles. It contains one extant species, the chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia), which is native to the southeastern United States. A second extinct member, Deirochelys carri , is known from a fossil found in Alachua County, Florida. [3] The genus was first described by Louis Agassiz in 1857, [4] and its name is derived from the Ancient Greek words for "neck" (deirḗ) and "tortoise" (khélūs), referring to the particularly long necks of these turtles. [5]

Contents

Evolution

Like other emydids (members of the family Emydidae), Deirochelys' karyotype consists of 2N=50 chromosomes. [6] A 1996 study of various turtles' mitochondrial DNA supported the partition of Emydidae into two subfamilies, Emydinae and Deirochelyinae, with Deirochelys placed within the latter. Deirochelys was reported to be the sister genus to the rest of the subfamily, meaning it shares a common ancestor with the ancestor of all the other genera in Deirochelyinae. [7] Alternative analysis by Stephens and Wiens found that under certain analyses Deirochelys could instead be described as a sister taxon to Emydinae or indeed to the family Emydidae itself. The authors attributed this confusion to long-branch attraction and concluded that Deirochelys did indeed sit within Deirochelyinae. [8] Spinks et al. (2009) also found Deirochelys to be a sister to Emydidae under maximum parsimony. [9]

It has been proposed that Deirochelys and the painted turtles Chrysemys are among the most ancient emydids, having diverged from the rest of the emydids more than 24.4 million years ago. The genus Deirochelys itself is thought to have evolved before the end of the Clarendonian, over 10.3 million years ago. [10]

Bickham, et al. 1996
Emydidae

Emydinae

Deirochelyinae

Deirochelys

Chrysemys

Pseudemys

Malaclemys

Graptemys

Trachemys

Spinks, et al. 2009
Testudinoidea

Deirochelys

Emydidae

Deirochelyinae

Emydinae

Species

There are two currently accepted species:

A possible third species, D. floridana, was described by Oliver Perry Hay in 1908 from a fossil specimen. In 1964, C.G. Jackson determined the specimen to instead be D. reticularia, but in 1974 he reassigned it to the genus Chrysemys. Jasinski (2018) reasserted that this turtle did indeed represent a separate species of Deirochelys. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amiiformes</span> Order of fishes

The Amiiformes order of fish has only two extant species, the bowfins: Amia calva and Amia ocellicauda, the latter recognized as a separate species in 2022. These Amiiformes are found in the freshwater systems of North America, in the United States and parts of southern Canada. They live in freshwater streams, rivers, and swamps. The order first appeared in the Triassic, and the extinct members include both marine and freshwater species, many of which are morphologically disparate from bowfins, such as the caturids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoemydidae</span> Family of turtles

The Geoemydidae are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles. Members of this family are commonly called Leaf turtle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emydidae</span> Family of turtles

Emydidae is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 10 genera. Members of this family are commonly called terrapins, pond turtles, or marsh turtles. Several species of Asian box turtles were formerly classified in the family; however, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family (Geoemydidae). As currently defined, the Emydidae are entirely a Western Hemisphere family, with the exception of two species of pond turtle.

<i>Trachemys</i> Genus of turtles

Trachemys is a genus of turtles belonging to the family Emydidae. Members of this genus are native to the Americas, ranging from the Midwestern United States south to northern Argentina, but one subspecies, the red-eared slider, has been introduced worldwide. Species under this genus are commonly referred to as sliders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Painted turtle</span> Species of reptile

The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in relatively slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They have been shown to prefer large wetlands with long periods of inundation and emergent vegetation. This species is one of the few that is specially adapted to tolerate freezing temperatures for extended periods of time due to an antifreeze-like substance in their blood that keeps their cells from freezing. This turtle is a member of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle family Emydidae. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. Three regionally based subspecies evolved during the last ice age. The southern painted turtle is alternately considered the only other species in Chrysemys, or another subspecies of C. picta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken turtle</span> Species of turtle

The chicken turtle is a turtle native to the southeastern United States. It is the only extant member of the genus Deirochelys and is a member of the freshwater marsh turtle family Emydidae. The chicken turtle's scientific name refers to its extremely long neck and distinctive net-like pattern on its upper shell. There are three regionally distinct subspecies, which are thought to have evolved when populations became separated during periods of glaciation. These subspecies can be distinguished by their appearance; the western chicken turtle displays dark markings along the seams of its plastron, while the plastron of the Florida subspecies is a bright yellow or orange color. Fossil records show that the chicken turtle has been present in the region for up to five million years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida red-bellied cooter</span> Species of turtle

The Florida red-bellied cooter or Florida redbelly turtle is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hominini</span> Tribe of mammals

The Hominini form a taxonomic tribe of the subfamily Homininae ("hominines"). Hominini includes the extant genera Homo (humans) and Pan and in standard usage excludes the genus Gorilla (gorillas).

<i>Chrysemys</i> Genus of reptile

Chrysemys is a genus of turtles in the family Emydidae. They are found throughout most of North America.

<i>Clemmys</i> Genus of turtle

Clemmys is a genus of turtles currently containing a single extant species, the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Bend slider</span> Species of turtle

The Big Bend slider, also called commonly the Mexican Plateau slider and la jicotea de la meseta mexicana in Mexican Spanish, is a species of aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

<i>Isurus</i> Genus of sharks

Isurus is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks. They are largely pelagic, fast predatory fish capable of swimming at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph).

<i>Glyptemys</i> Genus of turtles

Glyptemys is a genus of turtles in the family Emydidae. It comprises two species, the bog turtle and wood turtle, both of which are endemic to North America. Until 2001, these turtles were considered members of the genus Clemmys, which currently has one member, the spotted turtle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirorchiidae</span> Family of flukes

Spirorchiidae is a family of digenetic trematodes. Infestation by these trematodes leads to the disease spirorchiidiosis. Spirorchiids are mainly parasites of turtles. It has been synonymised with Proparorchiidae Ward, 1921, Spirorchidae Stunkard, 1921, and Spirorchiidae MacCallum, 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern painted turtle</span> Species of turtle

The southern painted turtle is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae. It is endemic to the south-central United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclanorbinae</span> Subfamily of turtles

Cyclanorbinae, also known commonly as the flapshell turtles, is a subfamily of softshell turtles in the family Trionychidae. The subfamily is native to Africa and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamprophiidae</span> Family of snakes

The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes found throughout much of Africa, including the Seychelles. There are 89 species as of July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amerophidia</span> Clade of snakes

The Amerophidia, also known as amerophidian snakes, are a superfamily of snakes that contains two families: Aniliidae and the boa-like Tropidophiidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanhsiungchelyidae</span> Extinct family of turtles

Nanhsiungchelyidae is an extinct family of land turtles known from Cretaceous deposits in Asia and North America. Nanhsiungchelyids were more terrestrial than many of their contemporaries, and may have gone extinct at the end of the Cretaceous as a result.

References

  1. "Deirochelys". Mindat.org . Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  2. Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 179–180. doi: 10.3897/vz.57.e30895 . Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  3. Jackson, Dale R. (1978). "Evolution and fossil record of the chicken turtle Deirochelys, with a re-evaluation of the genus". Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany. New Orleans, Louisiana: Tulane University. 20: 43. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  4. Agassiz, Louis (1857). Contributions to the natural history of the United States of America. Vol. 1. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.12644 . Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  5. "Taxonomy chapter for Turtle, eastern chicken (030064)". BOVA booklet. Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  6. Killebrew, Flavius C. (1977). "Mitotic chromosomes of turtles. IV. The Emydidae". Texas Journal of Science. Texas Academy of Science. 29 (3/4): 245–254. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
  7. Bickham, John W.; Lamb, Trip; Minx, Patrick; Patton, John C. (1996). "Molecular systematics of the genus Clemmys and the intergeneric relationships of emydid turtles". Herpetologica. 52 (1): 89–97. JSTOR   3892960.
  8. Stephens, Patrick R.; Wiens, John J. (2003). "Ecological diversification and phylogeny of emydid turtles". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 79 (4): 577–610. doi: 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2003.00211.x .
  9. Spinks, Phillip Q.; Thomson, Robert C.; Lovely, Geoff A.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2009). "Assessing what is needed to resolve a molecular phylogeny: simulations and empirical data from emydid turtles" (PDF). BMC Evolutionary Biology. 9 (1): 56. Bibcode:2009BMCEE...9...56S. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-56 . PMC   2660309 . PMID   19284630.
  10. 1 2 Jasinski, Stephen E. (2018). "A new slider turtle (Testudines: Emydidae: Deirochelyinae: Trachemys) from the late Hemphillian (late Miocene/early Pliocene) of eastern Tennessee and the evolution of the deirochelyines". PeerJ . 6: e4338. doi: 10.7717/peerj.4338 . PMC   5815335 . PMID   29456887.