Giant musk turtle

Giant musk turtle

Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Kinosternidae
Genus:	Staurotypus
Species:	S. salvinii
Binomial name
*Staurotypus salvinii* Gray, 1864
Synonyms^[1]
Staurotypus (Stauremys) salvinii Gray, 1864 Stauremys salvinii — Gray, 1870 Staurotypus marmoratus Fischer, 1872 Claudius severus Cope, 1872 Staurotypus (Claudius) severus — Bocourt, 1876 Staurotypus salvini Günther, 1885 (ex errore) Staurotypus biporcatus Gadow, 1905 (nomen nudum) Staurotypus salvanii Beltrán, 1953 (ex errore)

The giant musk turtle (Staurotypus salvinii) is a species of kinosternid turtle endemic to Central America.

Geographic range

It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca).

Etymology

The specific name, salvinii, is in honor of English naturalist and herpetologist Osbert Salvin.^[2]

Description

They are typically much larger than other species of Kinosternidae, attaining sizes of up to 36 cm (14 inches) carapace length, with males being significantly smaller than females. They are typically brown, black, or green in color, with a yellow underside. Their carapace is distinguished by three distinct ridges, or keels which run its length.

Diet

Like other musk turtle species, they are carnivorous, eating various types of aquatic invertebrates, as well as fish and carrion.

References

↑ Fritz, Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2): 260–261. ISSN 1864-5755. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
↑ Beolens, Bo; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore. xiii + 312 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Staurotypus salvinii, p. 232.)

External links

Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group 1996. Staurotypus salvinii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 29 July 2007.

Turtle family Kinosternidae

Genus	Species of the subfamily Kinosterninae

Kinosternon	Alamos mud turtle Arizona mud turtle Central American mud turtle Creaser's mud turtle Dunn's mud turtle Durango mud turtle Eastern mud turtle Herrera's mud turtle Jalisco mud turtle Mexican mud turtle Oaxaca mud turtle Rough-footed mud turtle Scorpion mud turtle Sonora mud turtle Striped mud turtle Tabasco mud turtle White-lipped mud turtle Yellow mud turtle

Sternotherus	Common musk turtle Flattened musk turtle Loggerhead musk turtle Razor-backed musk turtle

Genus	Species of the subfamily Staurotypinae

Claudius	Narrow-bridged musk turtle

Staurotypus	Giant musk turtle Mexican musk turtle

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status.

Extant turtle taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Chelonii or Testudines

Suborder

Superfamily

Family

Subfamily	Genus

Cryptodira

Chelydridae

	Chelydra Macrochelys

Chelonioidea

Cheloniidae

Carettinae	Caretta Lepidochelys

Cheloniinae	Chelonia Eretmochelys Natator

Dermochelyidae

	Dermochelys

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae

	Dermatemys

Kinosternidae

Kinosterninae	Kinosternon Sternotherus

Staurotypinae	Claudius Staurotypus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae

Deirochelyinae	Chrysemys Deirochelys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Trachemys

Emydinae	Clemmys Emys Glyptemys Terrapene

Geoemydidae

Geoemydinae	Batagur Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys

Rhinoclemmydinae	Rhinoclemmys

Platysternidae

	Platysternon

Testudinidae

	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Stigmochelys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae

	Carettochelys

Trionychidae

Cyclanorbinae	Cyclanorbis Cycloderma Lissemys

Trionychinae	Amyda Apalone Chitra Dogania Nilssonia Palea Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx

Pleurodira

Chelidae

Chelinae	Acanthochelys Chelus Mesoclemmys Phrynops Platemys Rhinemys

Chelodininae	Chelodina Elseya Elusor Emydura Flaviemys Myuchelys Pseudemydura Rheodytes

Hydromedusinae	Hydromedusa

Pelomedusidae

	Pelomedusa Pelusios

Podocnemididae

	Erymnochelys Peltocephalus Podocnemis

Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2012 update: annotated checklist. Extinct turtles not included.

Portal Book See also List of Testudines families

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, January 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.