Mesoclemmys nasuta (SCHWEIGGER, 1812)
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Mesoclemmys nasuta
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| Higher Taxa | Chelidae, Chelinae, Pleurodira, Testudines (turtles) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Guianan Toadhead Turtle, Common Toadheaded Turtle Portuguese: Cágado-da-Cabeça-de-Sapo, Lalá |
| Synonym | Emys nasuta SCHWEIGGER 1812 Emys barbatula GRAVENHORST 1829 Emys nasua [sic] — GRAY 1831 Platemys Schweiggerii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1835: 435 (nomen subst. pro E. nasuta) Rhinemys nasuta — BOULENGER 1889 Batrachemys nasuta — STEJNEGER 1909 Rhinemys tuberculata LUEDERWALDT 1926 (?) Phrynops nasuta — PRITCHARD 1967 Phrynops (Batrachemys) nasuta — GAFFNEY 1977 Phrynops (Batrachemys) nasutus — ALDERTON 1988 Phrynops nasutus — ERNST & BARBOUR 1989: 54 Batrachemys nasuta — MCCORD et al. 2001 Batrachemys nasuta — MCCORD & JOSEPH-OUNI 2002 Batrachemys nasuta — SOUZA 2004 Mesoclemmys nasuta — BOUR & ZAHER 2005 Batrachemys (Phrynops) nasutus — BONIN et al 2006 Mesoclemmys nasuta — VAN DIJK et al. 2011 Phrynops (Batrachemys nasuta — PHILIPPEN 2012 Mesoclemmys nasuta — TTWG 2021 |
| Distribution | SE Colombia, E Peru, N Bolivia, Brazil (Amazon basin), French Guiana, Suriname Type locality: “Patria ignota (= locality unknown); Designated as “Amérique méridionale” (= South America) by Duméril & Bibron 1835: 437. Restricted to near “Rivière Ouaqui et Inini, bassin du Maroni en amont de Maripasoula, Guyane francaise” by Bour & Pauler 1987: 6. |
| Reproduction | oviparous. |
| Types | Holotype: MNHN-RA 4140 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis and Description (genus Batrachemys). The genus Batrachemys is a member of the toadhead group of chelid turtles with the following characteristics: The snout is pointed. The carapace is relatively broad, as is the head, whose width between the tympana is 20% or more of the median straight length of the carapace. The neck is relatively thin and short. Zero to five reduced neural bones (usually 3 - 4) may be present and are sometimes discontiguous. The first neural is absent, allowing the first pair of costal bones to contact medially (as with Mesoclemmys, but not Phrynops, which has a first neural). The interanal seam of the plastron is usually longer than the interhumeral seam, but sometimes equal or shorter. The 11 th marginals are narrower than or equal to the width of the supracaudals. A welldeveloped scale is present at the distal end of the antero-medial row of tibial scales. The paired barbels are small (McCord et al. 2001). Additional details (45 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Subspecies: Phrynops nasutus wermuthi has been given species status (Phrynops raniceps, Phrynops wermuthi) by Iverson 1992 and others. Type Species: Emys nasuta SCHWEIGGER 1812 is the type species of the genus Batrachemys STEJNEGER 1909. For a diagnosis of the genus see MCCORD et al. 2001. Distribution: Not in Venezuela fide Rivas et al. 2015. Not confirmed for Guyana (Cole et al. 2013: 534). Habitat: freshwater (rivers, swamps) |
| Etymology | Named after Latin nasuta, having long nose. (Schweigger 1812, Esteban Lavilla, pers. comm., April 2024) |
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