A new species and subgenus of Elseya (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from New Guinea
Author
Thomson, Scott
Author
Amepou, Yolarnie
Author
Anamiato, Jim
Author
Georges, Arthur
text
Zootaxa
2015
4006
1
59
82
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4006.1.3
a73584b0-b729-482f-b91f-f0a42bb25591
1175-5326
289264
14516538-9B91-4363-9541-0AF373F9B614
Subgenus
Elseya
Gray, 1867
:44
The nominotypical subgenus, established by Thomson et al., this work.
Type
Species:
Elseya dentata
(
Gray 1863: 98
)
.
Diagnosis
: A medial constriction in suture between the anterior bridge strut and the carapace; ileum sutures to the carapace on the posterior 2/3 of the 8th pleural (Figure 2); cervical scute absent except as a rare variant; parietal arch narrow; no prominent process of the head shield extending down the parietal ridge toward the tympanum; temporal region covered with prominent scales; temporal stripes absent; lingual ridge on the ramphotheca and the dentary bones absent; alveolar ridge moderately developed, narrow, clearly visible on the ramphotheca and the underlying dentary (
Figure 3
).
Referred species:
Elseya dentata
(
Gray 1863: 98
)
,
Elseya branderhorsti
(
Ouwens 1914
)
,
Elseya
sp.
aff.
dentata
(Sth Alligator) (sensu
Georges & Adams 1992
)
. (
Figure 4
)
FIGURE 2.
Comparison of the ileum suture of A.
Elseya branderhorsti
and B.
Elseya rhodini
. P7—Pleural 7, P8—Pleural 8, SP—Suprapygal, Pe10—10th Peripheral, Pe11—11th Peripheral, T8—8th Thoracic Vertebrae, T9—9th Thoracic Vertebrae.