Chelodina ipudinapi JOSEPH-OUNI & MCCORD, 2022
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Chelodina ipudinapi?
Chelodina ipudinapi
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| Higher Taxa | Chelidae, Chelodininae, Pleurodira, Testudines (turtles) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Aramia snake-necked turtle |
| Synonym | Chelodina (Chelodina) ipudinapi JOSEPH-OUNI & MCCORD 2022 Chelodina ipudinapi — TTWG 2025 |
| Distribution | Papua New Guinea (Western Province: Aramia and upper Bamu rivers) Type locality: vicinity of Balimo, Aramia River, Western Province, Papua New Guinea. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: YPM HERR.022303 (Plate 1), an adult female specimen collected by Gogodala, November, 1992 Paratypes (4): YPM HERR.022299 (Plate 1); YPM HERR.022300; YPM HERR.022301; YPM HERR.022302; all adult specimens with same collection data as holotype. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis:- A ‘dwarf’ species (Plates 3a, 3b) of the New Guinea Snake-neck Turtle Chelodina (Chelodina) novaeguineae complex, typically up to 20% smaller in adult maturity size than the C. novaeguineae (Plates , distinguished further by the following combination of characters: a more evenly oval carapace with less posterior marginal flaring in adults; a pleural scute #1 (P1) – vertebral scute #1 (V1) sulcus that convexly contacts outwardly at M2 sulcus; a plastral sulcus formula of IGSL> IAn> IP≥ IAb> IF ≥ IG on average; G - IG scute sulcus longer than or equal to the humeral - IG scute sulcus on average; IP sulcus ≥ IAb sulcus; a large smooth, unbroken scale supratympanic scale extending continuously off from the dorso-posterior portion of the tympanum; lateral facial scales, nose, interorbital skin, and top jaw all bright white to faded white in mature adult specimens; anterior marginals relatively shorter in length; by more numerous and smaller facial scales between the posterior orbit of the eye and the tympanum, on average; and by a shorter, rounder face. Males are 5- 10% smaller than females and have relatively thicker, longer tails and sharper and deeper Ushaped anal scute notches. (Joseph-Ouni & McCord 2022). |
| Comment | Provisionally accepted species as we haven’t seen the paper describing it. For turtles we also work with the TTWG to align our turtle list with theirs. Distribution: see map in TTWG 2025. |
| Etymology | The species name is derived from an epithet given to this form of snake-necked turtle by the Gogodala indigenous peoples of Balimo, meaning ‘little stinker’ = ‘ipudinapi’ (R. Danaya pers. comm. WPM) in reference to the particularly strong and foul odor wildcaught specimens defensively emit. |
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