WFC134: Crocodilia/Testudines

What family?

Crocodylidae
- notch for 4th tooth
- V shape snout
- Mean looking
- Lives mostly around equator

~ roughly 20 species

What family?

Alligatoridae
- U shape snout
- You want to pet it vibes
- SE US, South America, small part of China

~ roughly 10 species

What Family?

Gavialidae
- India, Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia
- Long thin snout

- 1 species

What is it called for the top of the shell?

Carapace

What is it called for the bottom of the shell

Plastron

Suborder?

Cryptodira

Suborder?

Pleurodira

What is the difference between freshwater turtles, tortoise, and sea turtles?

Freshwater turtles:
webbed feet
flat shell
can hide in shell

Tortoise:
stubby/bulky legs
high shell
can hide in shell

Sea turtles:
Flippers
flat shell
cannot hide in shell

Suborder + Family?

Pleurodira, Chelidae
- Cervical scute
- Triangular head

~ Australia, South America
~60 species

Suborder + Family?

Pleurodira, Pelomedusidae
- No cervical scute
- Africa

~30 Species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Chelydridae (Snapping turtle)
- Intense beak
- Tiny plastron
- Long knobby tail
- 3 keel rows
- East US, North SA

~ >10 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Trionychidae (Soft shelled turtle)
- Fully webbed
- piggy snout
- pancake body
- no scutes

- Around equator
~ 30 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Cheloniidae (Hard shelled sea turtle)
- Flippers
- Oceanwide

- >10 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Dermochelyidae (Leather back sea turtle)
- No scutes
- Leathery Back
- 5 keels on back
- Oceanwide

- 1 speices

Cryptodira, Kinosternidae ( Mud and Musk Turtles)
- barbel on neck/chin
- musk gland
- plastron slightly reduced
- South NA, North SA

~ 30 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Platysternidae (Big headed turtle)
- huge head
- huge tail ~ same size as shell
- Thailand/Laos

- 1 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Geoemydidae
- Old world
- equator
- lots of variety

~ <50 species

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Emydidae
- New world
- NA, Europe, Asia, Middle East

- <50 species

Species?

Emydidae
Actinemys marmorata
Western Pond Turtle
- mottled
- less patterned
- no red
- smooth shell rim

Species?

Emydidae
Trachemys scripta
Pond Slider
- Jagged shell rim
- more patterning
- tripey
- introduced

Which Emydidae range? (colors count as 1 species as a whole)

Actinemys marmorata
Western Pond Turtle

Which Emydidae range?

Trachemys scripta
Red-Eared Sliders

Suborder + Family?

Cryptodira, Testudinidae
- Terrestrial
- elephant like legs + claws
- domed shell

- < 50 species

Species?

Testudinidae
Gopherus agassizii
Mojave desert tortoise
- prominent growth lines

What are the 2 superorders of reptiles?

Archosauria
Lepidosauria

Characteristics of Testudines

• Hard Shell

• Teeth absent, replaced by keratinous beak

• Anapsid skull (no holes posterior to eye)

What are the 2 suborders of Testudines?

• Pleurodira (side head)

• Cryptodira (tucked- head)

Archosauria consists of?

• Crocodilia

• Aves

Lepidosaura consists of?

• Squamata

• Rhynchocephalia (Tuatara)

Squamata consists of?

• Amphisbaenia (worm lizards)

• Serpentes (snakes)