Turtle/Crocodiles

Lab

Alligatoridae

• teeth of lower jaw fits into pits of upper jaw

• U shaped snout

fam

Alligator mississippiensis

• u shaped snout

• no 4th tooth showing

sp

Crocodylidae

• fourth tooth in lower jaw visible when mouth closed

  • v-shaped/narrow snout

fam

Crocodylus niloticus

• distributed in sub-saharan Africa

• dark patches laterally, arranged in variable stripes

sp

Crocodylus porosus

• Distributed in SE Asia, Australia and the surrounding waters

• pair of ridges run from eyes along center of snout

• saltwater habitat-into brackish

sp

Crocodylys acutus

• grayish color

• long narrower snout

• Distributed S. Amr to FL

sp

Gavialidae

• long snouts

• Homodont teeth

• piscivorous

fam

Chelidae

• Long neck

• Flattened shell and skull

• aquatic

• webbed feet

fam

Chelus fimbriata

• broad head and long muscular neck

• head and nech adorned with an array of irregular flat projections

  • carapce with 3 rows of keels, flat

sp

Chlodina rugosa

• Snake neck turtles

• Loooooong neck

• One spp lays eggs under water

sp

Pelomedusidae

• high domed shells (most)

• side neck

• Africa

  • (bottom walkers)

fam

Podocnemidae

• Side neck

• webbed feet (not paddles)

• streamlined shell (flat)

• shell flattens at back

fam

Podocnemis expansa

• largest side neck turtle

• shorter neck than chelids

• characteristic curve to the posterior edge of carapace

sp

Trionychidae

• flat like a pancake

• leathery skin covering shell

• snout with fleshy proboscis

• long necks

• reduced shell

• no paddles

fam

Apalon spinifera

• flexible shell

• long snout

• flat

• olive or tan with blacks pots

• dark line or rim around outside of carapce

  • bumps or spines on front of carapace

sp

Carettochelyidae

• leather skin covering shell

• fleshy proboscis (pig nose)

• limbs epanded to paddles

• paddles with 2 claws

• N Australia & PNG

fam

Carretochelys insculpta

• sp of family with

• leather skin covering shell

• fleshy proboscis (pig nose)

• limbs epanded to paddles

• paddles with 2 claws

sp

Emydidae

• prominent bridge on shell

• large plastron

• pond/box turtles

fam

Graptemys

• pond turtle

• colored liens on shell and skin

• carapace often with serrate dorsal edge

• mid dorsal keel

• map-like shell

gen

Terrapene carolina

• box turtle

• pastron hinged- completes closes

• upper jaw curbed hook like

• yellow or orange dots or blotches on carapace

sp

Terrapene ornata

• box turtle

• shell has a pattern of yellow lines radiating from center

sp

Malaclemys terrapin

• pond turtle

• squiggly black lines or dots on gray skin

• brackish water

sp

Chrysemys picta

• red on ventral portion of carapace

• only lines on head

• carapace smooth, non wirnkly, non serate marginals

• plastron and bridge with red or yellow markings

sp

Trachemys scripta

• red blotches behind eyes

• or pale patch in preserved specimen

• carapace with serrate rear margin

• longitudinal wrinkles and keel on carapace

sp

Geomydidae

• Southeast Asia

fam

Cuora

• asia box turtle

gen

Testudinidae

• terrestrial

• usually high domed shells

• stout, club like limbs

• “pyramiding” on carapace scutes

• large scales on forelimbs

fam

Gopherus agassizii

• Utah’s only terrestrial chelonian

• high domed shell

• elephant like feet

• UT/NV/AZ/CA

sp

Chelonoidis

• galapagos tortoise

• giant

sp

Malacochersus tornieri

• thin, flexible shell, dorsoventrally flattened

• radiated pattern on carapace scutes

• tortoise limbs but flat carapace

sp

Kinosternidae

• plastron typically reduced

• high domed shell (for aquatic turtle(

fam

Sternotherus oderatus

• relatively small plastron

• pectoral scutes squarish

• single anterior hinge on plastron

sp

Kinosternon flavescens

• larger plastron

• 2 transverse hings

• triangular scutes

  • doesn’t come to a point

sp

Kinosternon subrubrum

• larger plastron

• two transverse hinges

• trinagular pectoral scute

  • come to a point

sp

Chelydridae

• large heads that can’t retract into shell

• reduced plastron

• long tail

fam

Chelydra serpentina

• long tail with crest

• tiny plastron

• saw toothed tail

• smooth shell

sp

Macrochelys temminckii

• 3 strong dorsal keels

• hooked upper jaw

• tail not jagged

sp

Cheloniidae

• forelimbed elongates to form paddles

• flattened hard shells

• heads can’t retract

fam

Eretmochelys imbricata

• sharp curved beak

• serrate posterior margin of carapace

• “tortoise shell” marking on scutes

• 2 visible claws//flipper on forelimes

sp

Chelonia mydas

• large

• fore limbs with single claw

sp

Caretta Caretta

• slightly keeled shell

sp

Dermochelyidae

• largest extant turtle

• tiny polygonal osteoderms & leathery skin

• claws absent

fam

Dermochelys coriacea

• largest extant turtle

• leathery skin

sp