| Aspideretes | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida (paraphyletic) |
| Subclass: | Anapsida |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Trionychoidea |
| Family: | Trionychidae |
| Subfamily: | Trionychinae |
| Genus: | Aspideretes (disputed) |
| Species | |
|
4, but see text |
|
Aspideretes is a genus of soft-shelled turtles (family Trionychidae). It has been found to be so closely related to the Burmese Peacock Softshell (Nilssonia formosa) that it is probably better united with this species under Nilssonia, the older name. They only differ in having two separate neural plates between the first pleural scale pair of the bony carapace, while these neural plates are fused into one in N. formosa.[1]
As regards ecology, morphology distribution and DNA sequence data, they form a clade of peacock softshells that neatly divides into two groups. One contains the Peacock Soft-shelled Turtle and the enigmatic and almost extinct Black Soft-shelled Turtle, and the other all other species (including N. formosa).[1]
4 species have been separated in Aspideretes: