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Platysternon megacephalum GRAY, 1831

IUCN Red List - Platysternon megacephalum - Endangered, EN
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Higher TaxaPlatysternidae, Testudinoidea, Testudines (turtles) 
SubspeciesPlatysternon megacephalum megacephalum GRAY 1831
Platysternon megacephalum peguense GRAY 1870
Platysternon megacephalum shiui ERNST & MCCORD 1987 
Common NamesE: Big-headed Turtle
G: Grosskopfschildkröte
peguense: Burmese Big-headed Turtle
shiui: Vietnamese Big-headed Turtle 
SynonymPlatysternon megacephalum GRAY 1831: 107
Platysternon megacephalus — HARDWICKE & GRAY 1835
Platysternon Megacephalum — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1835: 344
Platysternum megacephalum — BOULENGER 1889
Platysternon platycephalum — MERTENS 1959 (ex errore)
Platysternum megalocephalum — STANEK 1959 (ex errore)
Platysternon macrocephalus — AGASSIZ 1960 (fide PIDOPLICKO & TARASCUK)
Platysternon megacephalum — COX et al. 1998: 124
Platysternon megacephalum — ZIEGLER 2002: 154
Platysternon megacephalum — TTWG 2014

Platysternon megacephalum megacephalum WERMUTH 1960
Platysternon megacephalum megacephalum WERMUTH 1960
Platysternon megacephalum tristernalis SCHLEICH & GRUBER 1984
Platysternon megacephalum megacephalum — RHODIN et al. 2010

Platysternon megacephalum peguense GRAY 1870
Platysternon peguense GRAY 1870: 70
Platysternon megacephalum peguense — WERMUTH 1960
Platysternon megacephalum vogeli WERMUTH 1969 (fide ERNST & BARBOUR)
Platysternon megacephalum peguense — CHAN-ARD et al. 1999: 228
Platysternon megacephalum peguense — RHODIN et al. 2010

Platysternon megacephalum shiui ERNST & MCCORD 1987
Platysternon megacephalum shiui — RHODIN et al. 2010 
DistributionS China (Guangdong, Jiangxi, Fukien, Kwangtung, Kwangsi, Hainan Island), N Vietnam, Laos , Cambodia, N Thailand, S Burma

megacephalum: China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hong Kong, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Yun-nan, Zhejiang); Type locality: "in China"

peguense: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam

shiui: N Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos; Type locality: Langson.

not recognized any more:

tristernalis: S yunnan (China); Type locality: between Mung Lun and Simao, eastern bank of the Mekong river.

vogeli: NW thailand; Type locality: Chiang Mai.  
Reproduction 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.9.7.42
Type: BMNH 1946.1.22.21-22 (Type of P. peguense (68.4.3.141, 68.6.6.2-3) [peguense]
Holotype: USNM 266160, adult male, collected by Oscar Shiu, Aug 1986 [shiui] 
Diagnosis 
CommentZHAO & ADLER (1993) synonymize P. m. tristernalis with P. megacephalum.

This species has been previously placed in the family Chelydridae (GAFFNEY 1975, SHAFFER et al. 1997).

Type species: Platysternon megacephalum GRAY 1831: 107 is the type species of the genus Platysternon GRAY 1831: 106.

Habitat: freshwater (small rivers) 
EtymologyNamed after platus (Greek) = flat and sternon (Greek) = the chest. The species has been named after megas (Greek) = wide, big and kephale (Greek) = the head. 
References
  • Anonymous 2016. Testudinate China [in both English and Chinese] Testudinate Industry Branch of the China Fishery Association, published on occasion of WCH8; author not explicitly stated, 54 pp.
  • Barley, Anthony J.; Phillip Q. Spinks, Robert C. Thomson, H. Bradley Shaffer 2010. Fourteen nuclear genes provide phylogenetic resolution for difficult nodes in the turtle tree of life. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 55 (3): 1189-1194 - get paper here
  • Bonin, F., Devaux, B. & Dupré, A. 2006. Turtles of the World. English translation by P.C.H. Pritchard. Johns Hopkins University Press, 416 pp.
  • Bour, R. 2008. Global diversity of turtles (Chelonii; Reptilia) in freshwater. Hydrobiologia 595:593–598
  • Budde, H. 1991. Angaben zur Gelegegröße bei Platysternon megacephalum (GRAY, 1831) mit Röntgenbild eines Weibchens vor der Eiablage Salamandra 27 (3): 213-215 - get paper here
  • Buskirk, James R. 1989. New locality records for Chinese non-marine chelonians [Chinemys reevesii nigricans, Cistoclemmys flavomarginata, Cuora galbinifrons hainanensis pani, Mauremys mutica, Clemmys Oscadia sinensis, Sacalia bealei quadriocellata, Platysternon megacephalum Chinese Herpetological Research 2 (2): 65-68
  • Cao D, Ge Y, Wei Y, Duan H, Gong S. 2019. Observations on carapace color change in the juvenile big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) PeerJ 7:e7331 - get paper here
  • Chan-ard, T., Parr, J.W.K. & Nabhitabhata, J. 2015. A field guide to the reptiles of Thailand. Oxford University Press, NY, 352 pp. [see book reviews by Pauwels & Grismer 2015 and Hikida 2015 for corrections] - get paper here
  • Chan-ard,T.; Grossmann,W.; Gumprecht,A. & Schulz,K. D. 1999. Amphibians and reptiles of peninsular Malaysia and Thailand - an illustrated checklist [bilingual English and German]. Bushmaster Publications, Würselen, Gemany, 240 pp. [book review in Russ. J Herp. 7: 87] - get paper here
  • Cox, Merel J.; Van Dijk, Peter Paul; Jarujin Nabhitabhata & Thirakhupt,Kumthorn 1998. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Ralph Curtis Publishing, 144 pp.
  • Duméril, A.M.C., and G. Bibron. 1835. Erpétologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles, Vol. 2. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, iv + 680 p. - get paper here
  • Duong, Loi Duc; Chung Dac Ngo and Truong Quang Nguyen 2014. New records of turtles from Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Herpetology Notes 7: 737-744
  • Ernst, C.H., and W.P. McCord. 1987. Two new turtles from southeast Asia. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 100 (3): 624-628. - get paper here
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  • Gad, J. 2007. Keeping and breeding the big-headed turtle Platysternon megacephalum megacephalum,with remarks on subspecies validity. Emys 14(1):4-18
  • Gong, Shi-ping; Hai-tao Shi, Ai-wu Jiang, Jonathan J. Fong, Daniel Gaillard, and Ji-chao Wang 2017. Disappearance of endangered turtles within China’s nature reserves Current Biology 27: R163–R171 - get paper here
  • Gray, J.E. 1831. Characters of a new genus of freshwater tortoise from China. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1831: 106-107
  • Gray, J.E. 1870. Supplement to the Catalogue of Shield Reptiles in the Collection of the British Museum. Part 1. Testudinata (Tortoises). Taylor and Francis, London. 120 p., 40 figs.
  • Gray. J. E. 1834. Illustrations of Indian Zoology, chiefly selected from the collection of Major - General Hardwicke. Vol. 2. London (1833-1834): 263 pp., 95 plates - get paper here
  • Hua, Liu; Fumin Wang, Shiping Gong, Yan Ge, Guoling Chen, Jinping Chen 2014. Isolation and Characterization of 14 Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci in the Big-Headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum). Biochemical Genetics 52 (3-4): 203-208 - get paper here
  • Jamniczky, H. A. and A. P. Russell 2007. Reappraisal of Patterns of Nonmarine Cryptodiran Turtle Carotid Circulation: Evidence From Osteological Correlates and Soft Tissues. Journal of Morphology 268:571–587
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  • Kirkpatrick, David T. 1995. Bighead turtles Platysternon megacephalum. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine 1995 (Nov.Dec.): 40-47
  • Kowalski, T., W. Grossmann, H.-J. ZILGER & B.-M. ZWANZIG 2011. Herpetologische Beobachtungen im Sultanat Oman: Das Saiq - Plateau im Jebel al - Akhdar. Sauria 33 (1): 29-50 - get paper here
  • Lambertz, Markus; Wolfgang Böhme, Steven F. Perry 2011. The anatomy of the respiratory system in Platysternon megacephalum Gray, 1831 (Testudines: Cryptodira) and related species, and its phylogenetic implications. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 156: 330–336
  • Lee, J. C.I.; Tsai, L.C.; Liao, S.P.; Linacre, A. & Hsieh, H.M. 2009. Species identification using the cytochrome b gene of commercial turtle shells. Forensic Science International: Genetics 3: 67–73
  • Lourenço, João M.; Julien Claude, Nicolas Galtier, Ylenia Chiari 2011. Dating cryptodiran nodes: Origin and diversification of the turtle superfamily Testudinoidea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 62 (1): - get paper here
  • Mell,R. 1938. Beiträge zur Fauna Sinica. VI. Aus der Biologie chinesischer Schildkröten. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, N.F., 7 (3): 390-475.
  • Nguyen, Luan Thanh; Ha Van Hoang, Thang Tai Nguyen, McCormack Timothy E.M., Sang Ngoc Nguyen 2016. A COLLECTION OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES FROM BAC HUONG HOA NATURE RESERVE, QUANG TRI PROVINCE, VIETNAM - get paper here
  • Nguyen, S.V., Ho, C.T. and Nguyen, T.Q. 2009. Herpetofauna of Vietnam. Chimaira, Frankfurt, 768 pp.
  • Parham, James F; Chris R Feldman and Jeffrey L Boore 2006. The complete mitochondrial genome of the enigmatic bigheaded turtle (Platysternon): description of unusual genomic features and the reconciliation of phylogenetic hypotheses based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. BMC Evolutionary Biology 6: 1-11
  • Sachsse, W. 1969. Über Bewegungsweisen, Beuteerwerb und Lautäußerung bei der Großkopfschildkröte (Platysternon megacephalum) Salamandra 5 (3-4): 150-152 - get paper here
  • Schleich, H.H., and U. Gruber. 1984. Eine neue Grosskopfschildkröte, Platysternon megacephalum tristernalis nov. ssp., aus Yünnan, China. Spixiana 7 (1): 67-73 - get paper here
  • Schmidt, K.P. 1927. The reptiles of Hainan. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 54(3): 395-466 (-575?)
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  • Sung, Yik-Hei; Billy C.H. Hau, Nancy E. Karraker 2014. Reproduction of endangered Big-headed Turtle, Platysternon megacephalum (Reptilia: Testudines: Platysternidae). Acta Herpetologica 9 (2): 243-247
  • Switak, Karl H. 2006. Adventures in Green Python Country. Natur und Tier Verlag (Münster), 364 pp. - get paper here
  • Theobald, William 1868. Catalogue of the reptiles of British Birma, embracing the provinces of Pegu, Martaban, and Tenasserim; with descriptions of new or little-known species. Zool. J. Linnean Soc. 10: 4-67. - get paper here
  • TTWG [Peter Paul van Dijk, John B. Iverson, Anders G.J. Rhodin, H. Bradley Shaffer, and Roger Bour] 2014. Turtles of the World, 7th Edition: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution with Maps, and Conservation Status. 000.v7. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v7.2014 - get paper here
  • Valencia, J. H., K. Garzón-Tello & M. E. Barragán-Paladines 2016. Serpientes venenosas del Ecuador: sistemática, taxonomía, historia natural, conservación, envenenamiento y aspectos antropológicos. Quito, Ecuador, Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Universidad de Texas, Fondo Ambiental Nacional, 652 pp. [review in HR 49 (1): 152, 2018]
  • Wei, Yufeng; Gong, Shiping; Shi, Haitao; Li, Weiye 2016. Quantitative analysis of courtship and mating behaviours in the big-headed turtle, Platysternon megacephalum The Herpetological Journal 26 (2): 85-91 - get paper here
  • Wermuth, H. 1969. Eine neue Grosskopfschildkrote, Platysternon megacephalum vogeli, n. ssp. D. Aquar.-Terr. Zeitsch. (DATZ) 22 (12): 372-374
  • Xiangkui-Y 1994. Fossil and recent turtles of China. Science Press, Beijing. 1994: i-vi, 1-112
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