Macrochelodina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Macrochelodina | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||
|
Secure
|
||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Species | ||||||||||||||
|
See text |
Macrochelodina is the sister taxon to the Chelodina and repesents those species that have often been termed the Chelodina B group, or thick necked snake neck turtles. The genus was described in 1985 by Wells & Wellington but was not recognised until recently when it was shown that the name was valid. As such they are a side-neck turtle of the family Chelidae with extremely long necks and long flattened heads. They are specialist fish eaters using a strike and gape mode of feeding. They are medium to large species with the largest Macrochelodina expansa reaching shell lengths of some 45cm.
[edit] Taxonomy
- Macrochelodina alanrixi (fossil)
- Macrochelodina insculpta (fossil)
- Macrochelodina burrungandjii (Thomson, Kennett & Georges, 2000)
- Macrochelodina expansa (Gray, 1857)
- Macrochelodina kuchlingi (Cann, 1997)
- Macrochelodina parkeri (Rhodin and Mittermeier, 1976)
- Macrochelodina rugosa (Ogilby, 1890)
[edit] References
- Thomson S., Kennett R. and Georges A. (2000). A new species of long necked turtle (Chelidae:Chelodina) from the sandstone plateau of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 3:675-685.
- Thomson S. (2000). The identification of the holotype of Chelodina oblonga (Testudines: Chelidae) with a discussion of taxonomic implications. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 3(4):745-748
