Rhinoclemmys diademata (MERTENS, 1954)
Find more photos by Google images search:
Higher Taxa | Geoemydidae (Rhinoclemmydinae), Testudinoidea, Testudines (turtles) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Maracaibo Wood Turtle |
Synonym | Geoemyda punctularia diademata MERTENS 1954 Rhinoclemmys diademata — PRITCHARD 1979 Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata — ERNST 1981 Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata — PAOLILLO 1985 Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata — ERNST & BARBOUR 1989: 183 Rhinoclemmys punctularia diademata — KING & BURKE 1989: Rhinoclemmys diademata — OBST 2003: 18 Rhinoclemmys diademata — TTWG 2014 Rhinoclemmys diademata — TTWG 2021 |
Distribution | E Colombia, NW Venezuela (Caribbean drainage, Lake Maracaibo basin) Type locality: ‘Maracay', Venezuela"; considered incorrect by Pritchard (1979:182). Maracay is not within the presently known range; see maps in Pritchard and Trebbau (1984:169-174, map 10) and Paolillo (1985). |
Reproduction | oviparous. |
Types | Holotype: SMF 48141 |
Diagnosis | Additional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (379 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | Hybrids between Rhinoclemmys diademata and R. punctularia have been described by FRITZ (1995). Pritchard (1979) and Pritchard and Trebbau (1984) considered R. p. diademata a separate species based on its allopatric range and lack of intergrades with R. p punctularia, but Ernst (1978) and Paolillo O. (1985) thought it merely a subspecies since only the dorsal head pattern differs, and, since some R. p. punctularia have their dorsal stripes united behind the orbits (the lunata pattern), the diademata head pattern could easily be formed from that of punctularia. Determina- tion of the karyotype of diademata would help deter- mine its status. |
Etymology | Named after Latin diademata, crowned; wearing a diadem; adorned w/diadem [“...Eine Rasse von Geoemyda punctularia, durch eine mehr oder weniger symmetrische Figur von zitronengelber Farbe auf der Kopfoberseite hinter den Augen von allen übrigen Rassen verschieden...”]. (from Esteban Lavilla, pers. comm., May 2024) |
References |
|
External links |