Myuchelys latisternum
Encyclopedia
The Saw-shelled turtle or Myuchelys latisternum, is a species of turtle
in the Chelidae
family.
It is endemic to Australia
, ranging along rivers and streams and connected swamps and lagoons from coastal Cape York Peninsula
to northern New South Wales
. They are thought to have been introduced to Lake Eacham
in the Atherton Tablelands. Other common English names are: Serrated snapping turtle, or Common sawshell turtle.
up to 28 cm long compared to the males which rarely get bigger than about 18 cm. The carapace is roughly oval and broad at the rear. They are not usually aggressive, but can bite fiercely. They can also emit a strong smell.
The shell has marginal serrations which are the reason for its common name, the "Saw-shelled turtle". It retains some of these serrations throughout its life. "The head shield extends down the side of the head to just above the tympanum, and the top of the neck has prominent pointed tubercules (many of these with an apical sensory pit)."
The carapace is mainly brown to dark brown, commonly with some some dark blotches. The plastron (underside) is yellowish. The head is large with a projecting snout and a horny plate on the top. The neck can fold sideways. The feet are webbed and also clawed. Hatchlings have serrated hind legs which become smooth as they mature.
follows that of Gray (1872a) and Boulenger (1889).
The combination Wollumbinia latisternum (Gray, 1867) Wells, 2007, was declared unpublished and hence unavailable for use by Georges & Thomson, 2010.
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...
in the Chelidae
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...
family.
It is endemic to 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...
, ranging along rivers and streams and connected swamps and lagoons from coastal Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
to northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. They are thought to have been introduced to Lake Eacham
Lake Eacham
Lake Eacham: is a popular lake of volcanic origin on the Atherton Tableland of Queensland, Australia, within the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics of Queensland.-Origins:...
in the Atherton Tablelands. Other common English names are: Serrated snapping turtle, or Common sawshell turtle.
Description
The female is considerably larger than the male with a 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...
up to 28 cm long compared to the males which rarely get bigger than about 18 cm. The carapace is roughly oval and broad at the rear. They are not usually aggressive, but can bite fiercely. They can also emit a strong smell.
The shell has marginal serrations which are the reason for its common name, the "Saw-shelled turtle". It retains some of these serrations throughout its life. "The head shield extends down the side of the head to just above the tympanum, and the top of the neck has prominent pointed tubercules (many of these with an apical sensory pit)."
The carapace is mainly brown to dark brown, commonly with some some dark blotches. The plastron (underside) is yellowish. The head is large with a projecting snout and a horny plate on the top. The neck can fold sideways. The feet are webbed and also clawed. Hatchlings have serrated hind legs which become smooth as they mature.
Nomenclatural History
Myuchelys latisternum (Gray, 1867) (Common sawshell turtle)- 1867 Elseya latisternum Gray, 1867, holotype, BMNH 1947.3.4.13, from North Australia.
- 1871 Euchelymys spinosa Gray, 1871, holotype, BMNH 1946.1.22.77, from North Australia. Synonymy
follows that of Gray (1872a) and Boulenger (1889).
- 2009 Myuchelys latisternum — Thomson & Georges, 2009. First use of combination.
The combination Wollumbinia latisternum (Gray, 1867) Wells, 2007, was declared unpublished and hence unavailable for use by Georges & Thomson, 2010.