Myuchelys

Last updated

Myuchelys
E purvisi4.png
Myuchelys
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Chelidae
Subfamily: Chelodininae
Genus: Myuchelys
Thomson and Georges, 2009 [1] [2]
Synonyms
  • Flaviemys
    Le, Reid, McCord, Naro-Maciel, Raxworthy, Amato, and Georges, 2013:257 [1]

The Myuchelys is a genus of turtles, the Australian saw-shelled turtles, in the family Chelidae and subfamily Chelodininae. They inhabit the headwaters and tributaries of rivers within their range and this led to the name Myuchelys, which is formed from the Aboriginal word myuna meaning clear water and the Greek chelys meaning turtle. [2] They have a short neck and the intergular scute completely separates the gular scutes. They have no alveolar ridge separating them from the snapping turtles of the genus Elseya .

Contents

Species

The genus currently contains these cryptic small species of freshwater turtles, endemic to eastern and northern Australia:

Taxonomic history

The species Myuchelys latisternum was originally placed in the genus Elseya by Gray in 1867 [5] but Elseya was redefined by George Albert Boulenger in 1889 [6] to include species defined by the presence of an alveolar ridge. Hence, Myuchelys latisternum and Myuchelys novaeguineae were moved to the genus Emydura . In 1967, the two species were placed back in the genus Elseya by J. Goode, [7] where they remained until recently.

During the time, the species Myuchelys bellii was basically lost to knowledge, having been misidentified as a South American species when described by Gray in 1844, [3] and was in the genus Phrynops until this oversight was corrected by Cann in 1998. [8] The species Myuchelys georgesi and Myuchelys purvisi were initially placed in the genus Elseya, but were identified as belonging to a unique clade along with Myuchelys latisternum and Myuchelys bellii using electrophoresis. [9]

The first attempt to separate this group into its own genus was the genus Euchelymys (Gray, 1871), [10] but this name was subsequently synonymised with Elseya by Boulenger (1889) [6] and the name was made permanently unavailable when Lindholm (1929) [11] set Euchelymys sulcifera (= Emydura macquarii) as the type species, effectively making the name Euchelymys a junior synonym of Emydura.

Another option investigated was the fossil form Pelocomastes, de Vis 1897; [12] the species in this genus may have represented an extinct member of the latisternum group, but this was determined to be incorrect and the name Pelocomastes is now considered a junior synonym of Elseya. [13]

The genus name Wollumbinia was erected by Wells, 2007, [14] , this paper was falsely declared by Georges and Thomson themselves to be in breach of the ICZN code defining a valid publication, ICZN Articles 8 and 9 and Recommendation 8D. [15] [16] As such this name is not considered valid even though it is. [15] [16] [17] The genus encompassing these species was named Myuchelys by Thomson and Georges, 2009. [2] Currently, this arrangement is considered the accepted name for the latisternum group by the IUCN, [17] a single taxonomic checklist [16] and by numerous workers in diverse disciplines. [18] [19] In the ensuing time the name Myuchelys has established usage as defined by the ICZN code, with many research papers being coerced into using it and but most amateur herpetologists and enthusiasts use the alternative Code compliant senior name. It is likely to be replaced in time and would only require the application of the ICZN Code rule of priority to do so.

In 2013, Le et al. [20] found that one species, purvisi, was still paraphyletic and proposed a new monophyletic genus to handle this; purvisi was therefore moved to the genus Flaviemys. In 2017, the IUCN TTWG following the recommendation of Spinks et al. (2015) placed Flaviemys as a synonymy of Myuchelys. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

Chelidae is one of three living families of the turtle suborder Pleurodira, and are commonly called Austro-South American side-neck turtles. The family is distributed in Australia, New Guinea, parts of Indonesia, and throughout most of South America. It is a large family of turtles with a significant fossil history dating back to the Cretaceous. The family is entirely Gondwanan in origin, with no members found outside Gondwana, either in the present day or as a fossil.

<i>Chelodina</i> Genus of turtles

Chelodina, collectively known as snake-necked turtles, is a large and diverse genus of long-necked chelid turtles with a complicated nomenclatural history. Although in the past, Macrochelodina and Macrodiremys have been considered separate genera and prior to that all the same, they are now considered subgenera of the Chelodina, further Macrochelodina and Macrodiremys are now known to apply to the same species, hence Chelydera is used for the northern snake-necked turtles.

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

The oblong turtle, also known commonly as the narrow-breasted snake-necked turtle and the southwestern snake-necked turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern part of Western Australia.

The Namoi River snapping turtle, also commonly known as Bell's turtle, the Namoi River elseya, or Bell's saw-shelled turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to New South Wales, Australia.

<i>Elseya</i> Genus of turtles

Elseya is a genus of large side-necked turtles, commonly known as Australian snapping turtles, in the family Chelidae. Species in the genus Elseya are found in river systems in northern and northeastern Australia and throughout the river systems of New Guinea. They are identified by the presence of alveolar ridges on the triturating surfaces of the mouth and the presence of a complex bridge strut.

<i>Elseya branderhorsti</i> Species of New Guinea turtle

Elseya branderhorsti, also known commonly as Branderhorst's turtle and Branderhorst's snapping turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to southern New Guinea, in West Papua Indonesia and Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Until recently it has been a confusing species due to its lost holotype and its sympatry with another, undescribed, species. E. branderhorsti is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN RedList in part due to its vulnerability to the Asian turtle trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellinger River snapping turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Bellinger River turtle is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is of moderate size, with a straight-line carapace length to 240 mm (9.4 in) in females, and 185 mm (7.3 in) in males. It is endemic to Australia with a highly restricted distribution to the small coastal drainage of the Bellinger River in New South Wales. In the past the species was considered locally abundant. The species' preferred habitat is the deeper pools of the clear-water upstream reaches of the river, where water flows continuously in most months over a bedrock basement and a stream bed of boulders, pebbles, and gravel. A captive breeding program has been under way since a 2015 virus outbreak came close to wiping out the entire species. Most remaining individuals are currently housed in quarantine, though a small number have been reintroduced to the original habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Guinea snapping turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Western New Guinea stream turtle or New Guinea snapping turtle is a species of freshwater turtle in the Chelidae family. It is found in the Bird's Head Peninsula and the Bomberai Peninsula west of Cenderawasih Bay, and on the island of Waigeo of West Papua, Indonesia.

<i>Emydura</i> Genus of turtles

Emydura, the Australian short-necked turtles, are a genus of turtles in the family Chelidae. It was paraphyletic with Elseya. Consequently, it was split into two genera Myuchelys and Elseya by Thomson & Georges, 2009. They can grow quite large, 30 cm or more is not unusual and have a life span of around 20–30 years. They generally do not hibernate as their warmer climate lets them remain active all year round; they also spend more time in the water than other varieties. They are considered omnivore but rely on a constant supply of meat to remain healthy, feeding on basically anything that will fit into their mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-bellied short-necked turtle</span> Species of turtle

The red-bellied short-necked turtle, also known commonly as the pink-bellied side-necked turtle and the Jardine River turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is native to Australia and New Guinea. There are two recognized subspecies.

<i>Elseya albagula</i> Species of turtle

Elseya albagula, commonly known as the white-throated snapping turtle, is one of the largest species of chelid turtles in the world, growing to about 45 cm (18 in) carapace length.

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

The saw-shelled turtle is a species of turtle in the Chelidae family endemic to Australia, ranging along rivers and streams and connected swamps and lagoons from coastal Cape York Peninsula to northern New South Wales, with populations also noted as far south as Newcastle -. They are thought to have been introduced to Lake Eacham in the Atherton Tablelands. Other common English names are: serrated snapping turtle or common sawshell turtle.

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

The Gulf snapping turtle or Lavaracks' turtle is a large species of freshwater turtle in the sidenecked family Chelidae. The species is endemic to northern Australia in northwest Queensland and northeast Northern Territory. The species, similar to other members of the Australian snapping turtles in genus Elseya, only comes ashore to lay eggs and bask. The Gulf snapping turtle is a herbivore and primarily consumes Pandanus and figs.

<i>Mesoclemmys</i> Genus of turtles

Mesoclemmys is a genus of South American turtles in the family Chelidae.

<i>Elseya dentata</i> Species of turtle

Elseya dentata, the northern snapping turtle, is a large aquatic turtle found throughout many rivers in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is one of three species in the nominate subgenus Elseya.

<i>Emydura macquarii</i> Species of turtle

Emydura macquarii is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. It is a wide-ranging species that occurs throughout many of the rivers of the eastern half of Australia. It is found primarily in the Macquarie River basin and all its major tributaries, along with a number of coastal rivers up the New South Wales Coast. It is also found in the coastal Queensland rivers and the Cooper Creek ecosystem, along with Fraser Island.

<i>Emydura victoriae</i> Species of turtle

Emydura victoriae, also known commonly as the red-faced turtle, Victoria short-necked turtle and Victoria River turtle, is a species of medium-sized aquatic turtle in the family Chelidae. The species inhabits rivers, streams and permanent water bodies across much of northern Australia.

<i>Elseya schultzei</i> Species of New Guinea turtle

Elseya schultzei, commonly known as Schultze's snapping turtle, is a species of chelid turtle endemic to northern New Guinea.

<i>Elseya rhodini</i> Species of New Guinea turtle

Elseya rhodini, the southern New Guinea stream turtle, is a recently described aquatic species of chelid turtle found south of the central ranges of New Guinea. It inhabits small streams that flow into the major river drainage's south of the ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott A. Thomson</span> Australian herpetologist

Scott A. Thomson is an Australian herpetologist, paleontologist, and taxonomist, specialising in turtles of the family Chelidae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rhodin, Anders G.J.; Inverson, John B.; Roger, Bour; Fritz, Uwe; Georges, Arthur; Shaffer, H. Bradley & van Dijk, Peter Paul (August 3, 2017). "Turtles of the world, 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status" (PDF). Chelonian Research Monographs (8th ed.). 7. doi: 10.3854/crm.7.checklist.atlas.v8.2017 . ISBN   978-1-5323-5026-9 . Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Thomson, Scott & Georges, Arthur (2009). "Myuchelys gen. nov. a new genus for Elseya latisternum and related forms of Australian freshwater turtle (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae)". Zootaxa. 2053 (1): 32–42. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2053.1.2.
  3. 1 2 Gray, J. E. 1844. Catalogue of the Tortoises, Crocodiles and Amphibaenians in the Collection of the British Museum. London. Edward Newman. 80pp.
  4. ↑ Cann, J. 1998a. Georges short-neck turtle. Monitor 9(1):18-23.
  5. 1 2 Gray, J. E. (1867). "Description of a new Australian Tortoise (Elseya latisternum)". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Series 3. 20 (115): 43–45. doi:10.1080/00222936708562715.
  6. 1 2 Boulenger, G. A. (1889). Catalogue of the Chelonians, Rhynchocephalians, and Crocodiles in the British Museum (Natural History). London: British Museum. doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.13541 .
  7. ↑ Goode, J. (1967) Freshwater Tortoises of Australia and New Guinea (in the Family Chelidae). Lansdowne Press, Melbourne.
  8. ↑ Cann, J. (1998) Australian Freshwater Turtles. Beaumont Publishing, Singapore.
  9. ↑ Georges, A. & Adams, M. (1992). "A phylogeny for Australian chelid turtles based on allozyme electrophoresis". Australian Journal of Zoology. 40 (5): 453–476. doi:10.1071/zo9920453.
  10. ↑ Gray, J. E. (1871). "On Euchelymys, a new genus and two new species of Australian Freshwater Tortoises". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Series 4. 8 (44): 117–118. doi:10.1080/00222937108696445.
  11. ↑ Lindholm, W.A. (1929) Revidiertes Verzeichnis der Gattungen der rezenten Schildkröten nebst Notizen zur Nomenklatur einger Arten. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 81, 275–295.
  12. ↑ de Vis, C.W. 1897. The extinct freshwater turtles of Queensland. Annals of the Queensland Museum. 3: 3-7.
  13. ↑ Thomson, S. A. 2000 06 30: A Revision of the Fossil Chelid Turtles (Pleurodira) Described by C.W. De Vis, 1897. Memoires of the Queensland Museum 45(2):593-598. Brisbane. ISSN   0079-8835.
  14. ↑ Wells, R.W. (2007) Some taxonomic and nomenclatural considerations on the Class Reptilia in Australia. A new genus of the Family Chelidae from eastern Australia. [ permanent dead link ] "Australian Biodiversity Record", 2007(3), 1–12. ISSN   1325-2992
  15. 1 2 Georges, Arthur & Thomson, Scott (2010). "Diversity of Australasian freshwater turtles, with an annotated synonymy and keys to species". Zootaxa. 2496 (1): 1–37. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.2496.1.1 .
  16. 1 2 3 Fritz, U. & Havaš, P. (2007) Checklist of Chelonians of the World. Archived 2016-01-16 at the Wayback Machine Vertebrate Zoology (Dresden), 57, 149–368.
  17. 1 2 Pritchard, Peter; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Saumure, Raymond; Buhlmann, Kurt; Iverson, John & Mittermeier, Russell (2010). "Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises". Chelonian Research Monographs. doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v3.2010.
  18. ↑ Fielder, D.; Vernes, K.; Alacs, E. & Georges, A. (2012). "Mitochondrial variation among Australian freshwater turtles (genus Myuchelys), with special reference to the Endangered M. bellii". Endangered Species Research. 17 (1): 63–71. doi: 10.3354/esr00417 .
  19. ↑ Georges, A.; Spencer, R. J.; Welsh, M.; Shaffer, H. B.; Walsh, R. & Zhang, X. (2011). "Application of the precautionary principle to taxa of uncertain status: the case of the Bellinger River turtle". Endangered Species Research. 14 (2): 127–134. doi: 10.3354/esr00350 .
  20. ↑ Le, Minh; Reid, Brendan N.; McCord, William P.; Naro-Maciel, Eugenia; Raxworthy, Christopher J.; Amato, George & Georges, Arthur (2013). "Resolving the phylogenetic history of the short-necked turtles, genera Elseya and Myuchelys (Testudines: Chelidae) from Australia and New Guinea". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 68 (2): 251–258. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.