EMYSystem Text Only Species Page: Elseya dentata
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order..........TESTUDINES (turtles, tortoises and terrapins)
family...........Chelidae (Austro-American Side-necked Turtles)
subfamily.......Chelidinae ()
genus...............Elseya (Australian Snapping Turtles)
species..............Elseya dentata (Northern Australian Snapping Turtle)
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- Original Description
- Gray 1863b : 98
- Syntypes
- (2 specimens) BMNH 1947.3.6.2; BMNH 1947.3.6.3
- Type Locality
- "N. Australia [Northern Territory]; Upper Victoria [River], in Beagle's Valley"
- Original name
- Chelymys dentata
- Common Name
- Northern Australian Snapping Turtle
- Distribution
- Australia: eastern Queensland (including Burnett and Fitzroy river basins), the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, and Arnhem Land, Northern Territory to the Kimberley district, Western Australia
- Comments
- Synonymy should include Platemys novaeguineae Meyer (1874; = Elseya novaeguineae) according to McDowell (1983), but a more thorough study is needed. Reviewed by Cogger et al. (1983). This taxon is apparently a composite of several distinct species according to John Legler (pers. comm.) and Georges and Adams (1989). Wells and Wellington (1985:12) named the Queensland population Elseya sterlingi, but without diagnosis or adequate description; they also designated BMNH 1947.3.6.3 as lectotype.
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