Elseya albagula
Encyclopedia
The White Throated Snapping Turtle (Elseya albagula) is one of the largest species of Chelid
Turtle
s in the world growing to approximately 45 cm carapace
length. The species is endemic to south-eastern Queensland
, Australia
found in the Burnett, Mary and Fitzroy River Drainages. This species is entirely aquatic, rarely coming ashore and is chiefly herbivorous feeding on the fruits and buds of riparian vegetation, algae's and large aquatic plants.
It was first proposed as a species by John Goode in the 1960s. it was finally described in 2006. The species is named from the Latin alba = white and gular = throat which is a reference to the white blotching present on the throats of adult females in the species.
The type locality for the species is the Burnett River in south-eastern Queensland
, Australia
, however it is also found in the Mary and Fitzroy River drainage's to the north of the Burnett. Some have argued for each of these rivers to represent different species, however DNA
, morphological
and morphometric analysis does not support this conclusion.
of this species is broadly oval but is blunt at the front. In younger animals it has keeled scutes along the back. The carapace
is dark brown to black in color, smooth with no growth annuli and generally lackluster. The plastron is heavily stained in adults appearing black over the true base color of yellow to cream. The plastron is narrow compared to the carapace.
The head is large and robust with a complete head shield that does not approach the ears. The tomial sheath is large and inside an alveolar ridge is distinct and well formed. The head is typically dark brown to grey above and, in females, is usually blotched with cream to white in the throat region.
Chelidae
The Chelidae are one of the three living families of the turtle suborder Pleurodira and are commonly called the Austro-South American Side Neck turtles. The Family is distributed in Australia, New Guinea, parts of Indonesia and throughout most of South America. It is a large family of turtles with...
Turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s in the world growing to approximately 45 cm carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
length. The species is endemic to south-eastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
found in the Burnett, Mary and Fitzroy River Drainages. This species is entirely aquatic, rarely coming ashore and is chiefly herbivorous feeding on the fruits and buds of riparian vegetation, algae's and large aquatic plants.
It was first proposed as a species by John Goode in the 1960s. it was finally described in 2006. The species is named from the Latin alba = white and gular = throat which is a reference to the white blotching present on the throats of adult females in the species.
The type locality for the species is the Burnett River in south-eastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, however it is also found in the Mary and Fitzroy River drainage's to the north of the Burnett. Some have argued for each of these rivers to represent different species, however DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
, morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
and morphometric analysis does not support this conclusion.
Etymology
The name albagula is derived from the Latin adjective "alba" meaning white and the noun "gula" for throat, both of which are feminine. Hence the name means "white throated" and refers to the white or cream throat commonly seen in adult females of this species.Description
The carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
of this species is broadly oval but is blunt at the front. In younger animals it has keeled scutes along the back. The carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
is dark brown to black in color, smooth with no growth annuli and generally lackluster. The plastron is heavily stained in adults appearing black over the true base color of yellow to cream. The plastron is narrow compared to the carapace.
The head is large and robust with a complete head shield that does not approach the ears. The tomial sheath is large and inside an alveolar ridge is distinct and well formed. The head is typically dark brown to grey above and, in females, is usually blotched with cream to white in the throat region.