''Elseya'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of large side-necked

turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...

s, commonly known as Australian snapping turtles, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Chelidae Chelidae is one of three living families of the turtle suborder Pleurodira, and are commonly called Austro-South American side-neck turtles. The family is distributed in Australia, New Guinea, parts of Indonesia, and throughout most of South Amer ...

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in the genus ''Elseya'' are found in river systems in northern and northeastern Australia and throughout the river systems of

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

. Thomson S, Georges A, Limpus C (2006). "A New Species of Freshwater Turtle in the Genus ''Elseya'' (Testudines: Chelidae) from Central Coastal Queensland, Australia". '' Chelon. Conserv. Biol.'' 5 (1): 74–86
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They are identified by the presence of alveolar ridges on the triturating surfaces of the mouth and the presence of a complex bridge strut.Thomson S, White A, Georges A (1997). "Re-Evaluation of ''Emydura lavarackorum'': Identification of a Living Fossil". ''Memoirs of the Queensland Museum'' 42 (1): 327-336. The Australian snapping turtles are largely

herbivorous A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

, with specialized mouth structures for eating fruits. However, they will eat animal products if opportunity arises. The various species can be found in large numbers where they are still abundant, e.g.,

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

of Australia. However, a number of the populations have become increasingly rare, and some are now listed as endangered.

Systematics

Etymology

John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS (12 February 1800 – 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of zoologist George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray (1766–1828). The same is used for ...

created the

generic Generic or generics may refer to: In business * Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark * Generic brand, a brand for a product that does not have an associated brand or trademark, other ...

name, ''Elseya'', in 1867 in honour of Dr.

Joseph Ravenscroft Elsey Joseph Ravenscroft Elsey (1834–1857) was an English born naturalist, surgeon and explorer. After achieving qualifications in Chemistry and at the Royal College of Surgeons, Elsey joined the North Australian Exploring Expedition, led by Augustus Gr ...

, a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

- naturalist on the Gregory Expedition that traversed northern Australia from the Victoria River to

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

in 1855–1856.

List of species

The genus was originally described by Gray in 1867 with the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

being set as ''Elseya dentata''. The fossil genus ''Pelocomastes'' was later synonymised with this genus. Following the recent revisions of this genus, the ''latisternum'' group has been moved to the new genus ''

Myuchelys The ''Myuchelys'' is a genus of turtles, the Australian saw-shelled turtles, in the family Chelidae and subfamily Chelodininae. They inhabit the headwaters and tributaries of rivers within their range and this led to the name ''Myuchelys'', whic ...

''. The remaining species of this genus have additionally been separated into three subgenera, ''Elseya'', ''Pelocomastes'', and ''Hanwarachelys'', and the species redistributed among them.Thomson S, Amepou Y, Anamiato J, Georges A (2015). "A new species and subgenus of ''Elseya'' (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from New Guinea". ''Zootaxa'' 4006 (1): 59-82
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Extinct species

There are two identified extinct species of Elseya. '' Elseya nadibajagu'' and '' Elseya uberrima'' De Vis CW (1897). "The extinct freshwater turtles of Queensland". ''Annals of the Queensland Museum'' 3: 3-7. are prehistoric species known only from

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

s. ''E. lavarackorum'' was initially believed also to be a fossil taxon, but later discovered to be still

extant Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to: * Extant hereditary titles * Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English * Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...

. ''Elseya nadibajagu'' is a

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

Australian snapping turtle, described from the Bluff Downs region of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

.; whereas ''Elseya uberrima'' is an

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...

species described from the

Darling Downs The Darling Downs is a farming region on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland, Australia. The Downs are to the west of South East Queensland and are one of the major regions of Queensland. The name was generall ...

region of

.Thomson SA. 2000. A Revision of the Fossil Chelid Turtles (Pleurodira) Described by C.W. De Vis, 1897. ''Memoirs of the Queensland Museum'' 45 (2): 593-598. (Brisbane).

Notes

References

External links and further reading

Gondwanan Turtle Site
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2708967 Turtle genera Taxa named by John Edward Gray Taxonomy articles created by Polbot