Tewksbury Institute of Herpetology - The Complete Chelonian Taxonomy

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The Complete Chelonian Taxonomy List

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The World Chelonian Trust wishes to extend its sincere thanks to Maurice Rodrigues for the use of the taxonomic information listed below.

Taxonomic data - Compiled by Maurice Rodrigues

Web edit - Darrell Senneke

Web edit review - Chris Tabaka DVM

Edits and updates will be made as often as possible. Please send such corrections and comments to Maurice Rodrigues.

We will maintain a web page of updates that are made and the reason / source for the changes at UPDATES

Most Recent Update -- November 20, 2002

KEY: The numbers in parentheses after the genus represent the number of species within that genus.

The number after the decimal represents the number of sub-species within that genus.

Linked species names in the table below will take you to the Photo Galleries of the World Chelonian Trust web site where photographs of the respective genera, species, or subspecies can be found.

The cells with the color background indicate the presence of one of the World Chelonian Trust Care Sheets for that species or genus which may be directly accessed by clicking on the "WCT Care Sheet" link in the colored cells.

Kingdom	*Animalia*
Phylum	*Chordata*
Class	*Reptilia*
Subclass	*Anapsida*
Order	*Testudines*

Suborder

Cryptodira

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies
*none*
	*Chelydridae*
		*none*
			*Chelydra (3.2)*
				*acutirostris*
				*rossignonii*
		WCT Care Sheet		*serpentina*
					*osceola*
					*serpentina*
		*none*
			*Macrochelys (1.0)*
				*temminckii*
*none*
	*Platysternidae*
		*none*
			*Platysternon (1.4)*
				*megacephalum*
					*megacephalum*
					*peguense¹*
					*shiui*
					*vogeli¹*
*Chelonioidea*
	*Cheloniidae*
		*none*
			*Caretta (1.2)*
				*caretta*
					*caretta*
					*gigas*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Chelonia (1.3)*
				*mydas*
					*agassizii*
					*japonica²*
					*mydas*
		*none*
			*Eretmochelys (1.3)*
				*imbricata*
					*bissa*
					*imbricata*
					*squamata³*
		*none*
			*Lepidochelys (2.0)*
				*kempii*
				*olivacea⁴*
		*none*
			*Natator (1.0)*
				*depressus*
	*Dermochelyidae*
			*Dermochelys (1.3)*
				*coriacea*
					*angusta⁵*
					*coriacea*
					*schlegelii*
*Testudinoidea*
	*Emydidae*
		*Deirochelyinae*
			*Chrysemys (1.4)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*picta*
					*bellii*
					*dorsalis*
					*marginata*
					*picta*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Deirochelys (1.3)*
				*reticularia*
					*chrysea*
					*miaria*
					*reticularia*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Graptemys (12.6)*
				*barbouri*
				*caglei*
				*ernsti*
				*flavimaculata*
				*geographica*
				*gibbonsi*
				*nigrinoda*
					*delticola*
					*nigrinoda*
				*oculifera*
				*ouachitensis*
					*ouachitensis*
					*sabinensis*
				*pseudogeographica*
					*kohnii*
					*pseudogeographica*
				*pulchra*
				*versa*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Malaclemys (1.7)*
				*terrapin*
					*centrata*
					*littoralis*
					*macrospilota*
					*pileata*
					*rhizophorarum*
					*tequesta*
					*terrapin*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

	WCT Care Sheet		*Pseudemys (8.3)*
				*alabamensis*
				*concinna⁶*
					*concinna*
					*floridana*
					*suwanniensis*
				*floridana*
				*gorzugi*
				*nelsoni*
				*peninsularis*
				*rubriventris*
				*texana*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Trachemys (8.22)*
				*decorata*
				*decussata*
					*angusta*
					*decussata*
				*gaigeae⁷*
				*scripta*
					*adiutrix*
					*brasiliensis*
					*callirostris*
					*cataspila*
					*chichiriviche*
					*dorbignyi*
					*elegans*
					*emolli*
					*grayi*
					*hartwegi*
					*hiltoni*
					*nebulosa*
					*ornata*
					*scripta*
					*taylori*
					*troostii*
					*venusta*
					*yaguia*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

				*stejnegeri*
					*malonei*
					*stejnegeri*
					*vicina*
				*terrapen*
		*Emydinae*
			*Actinemys (1.2)*
				*marmorata*
					*marmorata*
					*pallida*
			*Clemmys (1.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*guttata*
			*Emydoidea (1.0)*
				*blandingii*
			*Emys (1.13)*
				*orbicularis*
					*capolongoi⁸*
					*galloitalica⁸*
					*lanzai⁸*
					*hellenica⁹*
					*iberica⁹*
					*persica⁹*
					*colchica¹⁰*
					*eiselti¹⁰*
					*orbicularis¹⁰*
					*fritzjuergenobsti¹¹*
					*hispanica¹¹*
					*occidentalis¹¹*
					*luteofusca¹²*
			*Glyptemys (2.0)*
		Care Sheet Link		*insculpta*
				*muhlenbergii*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Terrapene (4.10)*
				*carolina*
			WCT Care Sheet		*bauri*
			WCT Care Sheet		*carolina*
			WCT Care Sheet		*major*
					*mexicana*
			WCT Care Sheet		*triunguis*
					*yucatana*
				*coahuila*
				*nelsoni*
					*klauberi*
					*nelsoni*
		WCT Care Sheet		*ornata*
					*luteola*
					*ornata*
	*Geoemydidae*
		*none*
			*Batagur (1.2)*
				*baska*
					*baska*
					*ranongensis¹³*
		*none*
			*Callagur (1.0)*
				*borneoensis*
		*none*
			*Chelopus (2.2)*
				*annulata*
				*rubida*
					*rubida*
					*perixantha*
		*none*
			*Chinemys (2.2)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*nigricans¹⁴*
		WCT Care Sheet		*reevesii*
					*megalocephala*
					*reevesii*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			**Cistoclemmys⁴¹(2.6)**
				*flavomarginata*
					evelynae⁴⁰
					*flavomarginata*
					*sinensis*
		WCT Care Sheet		*galbinifrons*
					*bourreti*
					*galbinifrons¹⁵*
					*picturata*
				*mccordi*
				*serrata¹⁶*
		*none*
			*Cuora (7.4)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*amboinensis*
					*amboinensis*
					*couro*
					*kamaroma*
					*lineata*
				*aurocapitata*
				*pani*
				*trifasciata*
				*yunnanensis*
				*zhoui*
		*none*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Cyclemys (5.0)*
				*atripons*
				*dentata*
				*oldhamii*
				*ovata*
				*pulchristriata*
				*tcheponensis*
		*none*
			*Geoclemys (1.0)*
				*hamiltonii*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Geoemyda (3.0)*
				*japonica*
				*silvatica*
		WCT Care Sheet		*spengleri*
		*none*
			*Hardella (1.2)*
				*thurjii*
					*indi*
					*thurjii*
		*none*
			*Heosemys (4.0)*
				*depressa*
				*grandis*
				*leytensis*
		WCT Care Sheet		*spinosa*
		*none*
			*Hieremys (1.0)*
				*annandalii*
		*none*
			*Kachuga (3.0)*
				*dhongoka*
				*kachuga*
				*trivittata*
		*none*
			*Leucocephalon (1.0)*
				*yuwonoi*
		*none*
			*Malayemys (1.0)*
				*subtrijuga*
		*none*
			*Mauremys (6.12)*
				*annamensis*
				*caspica*
					*caspica*
					*siebenrocki*
					*ventrimaculata*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

				*japonica*
				*leprosa*
					*atlantica*
					*erhardi*
					*leprosa*
					*marokkensis*
					*saharica*
					*wernerkaestiei*
					*zizi*
				*mutica*
					*kami*
					*mutica*
				*rivulata*
				*iversoni¹⁶*
				*pritchardi¹⁶*
		*none*
			*Melanochelys (2.7)*
				*tricarinata*
				*trijuga*
					*coronata*
					*edeniana*
					*indopeninsularis*
					*parkeri*
					*thermalis*
					*trijuga*
		*none*			*wiroti*
			*Morenia (2.0)*
				*ocellata*
				*petersi*
		*none*
			*Notochelys (1.0)*
				*platynota*
		*none*
			*Ocadia (3.0)*
				*glyphistoma¹7*
				*philippeni¹⁷*
				*sinensis*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Orlitia (1.0)*
				*borneensis*
		*none*
			*Pangshura (4.5)*
				*smithi*
					*pallidipes*
					*smithi*
				*sylhetensis*
				*tecta*
				*tentoria*
					*circumdata*
					*flaviventer*
					*tentoria*
		*none*
			*Pyxidea (1.2)*
				*mouhotii*
					*mouhotii*
					*obstii*
		*none*
			*Rhinoclemmys (7.6)*
				*areolata18*
				*diademata*
				*funerea*
				*melanosterna¹⁸*
				*nasuta*
		WCT Care Sheet		*pulcherrima*
					*incisa*
					*manni*
					*pulcherrima*
					*rogerbarbouri*
				*punctularia*
					*flammigera*
					*punctularia*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Sacalia (3.0)*
				*bealei*
				*pseudocellata¹⁹*
				*quadriocellata*
		*none*
			*Siebenrockiella (1.0)*
				*crassicollis*
	*Testudinidae*
		*Testudininae*
			*Chersina (1.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*angulata*
			*Geochelone (11.16)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*carbonaria*
		WCT Care Sheet		*chilensis*
		WCT Care Sheet		*denticulata*
		WCT Care Sheet		*elegans*
				*gigantea*
					*arnoldi²⁰*
					*dussumieri*
					*gigantea*
					*hololissa²¹*

				*nigra*
					*abingdoni*
					*becki*
					*chathamensis*
					*darwini*
					*duncanensis*
					*hoodensis*
					*nigra*
					*phantastica*
					*porteri*
					*vicina*
					*ssp.²²*
					*ssp.²²*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		WCT Care Sheet		*pardalis*
					*babcocki*
					*pardalis*
				*platynota*
		WCT Care Sheet		*radiata*
		WCT Care Sheet		*sulcata*
				*yniphora*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Homopus (5.2)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*areolatus*
				*bergeri²³*
				*boulengeri*
				*femoralis*
		WCT Care Sheet		*signatus*
					*cafer*
					*signatus*
			*Indotestudo (3.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*elongata*
		WCT Care Sheet		*forstenii*
				*travancorica*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Kinixys (6.2)*
				*belliana*
					*belliana*
					*nogueyi*
				*erosa*
				*homeana*
				*lobatsiana*
				*natalensis*
				*spekii*
			*Malacochersus (1.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*tornieri*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Psammobates (3.3)*
				*geometricus*
				*oculiferus*
				*tentorius*
					*tentorius*
					*trimeni*
					*verroxii*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Pyxis (2.3)*
				*arachnoides*
					*arachnoides*
					*brygooi*
					*oblonga*
				*planicauda*
			*Testudo (7.15)*
		WCT Care Sheet (Golden Greeks)		*graeca*
					*anamurensis*
					*armeniaca*
					*cyrenicae²⁴*
			WCT Care Sheet		*ibera*
					*graeca*
					*nabeulensis*
					*nikolskii*
					*soussensis²⁵*
			WCT Care Sheet		*terrestris²⁶*
					*zarudnyi*
		WCT Care Sheet		*hermanni*
					*boettgeri*
					*hermanni*
		WCT Care Sheet		*horsfieldii*
					*kazakhstanica*
					*horsfieldii*
					*rustamovi*
		WCT Care Sheet		*kleinmanni*
				*marginata*
				*weissingeri*
				*werneri²⁷*
		*Xerobatinae*
			*Gopherus (4.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*agassizii*
		WCT Care Sheet		*berlandieri*
				*flavomarginatus*
		WCT Care Sheet		*polyphemus*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Manouria (2.2)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*emys*
					*emys*
					*phayrei*
				*impressa*
*Trionychoidea*
	*Carettochelyidae*
		*none*
			*Carettochelys (1.0)*
				*insculpta*
	*Dermatemydidae*
		*none*
			*Dermatemys (1.0)*
				*mawii*
	*Kinosternidae*
		*Kinosterninae*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Kinosternon (16.20)*
				*acutum*
				*alamosae*
				*angustipons*
				*baurii*
				*chimalhuaca*
				*creaseri*
				*dunni*
				*flavescens*
					*arizonense²⁸*
					*durangoense*
					*flavescens*
				*herrerai*
				*hirtipes*
					*chapalaense*
					*hirtipes*
					*magdalense*
					*megacephalum*
					*murrayi*
					*tarascense*
				*integrum*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

				*leucostomum*
					*leucostomum*
					*postinguinale*
				*oaxacae*
				*scorpioides*
					*abaxillare*
					*albogulare*
					*cruentatum*
					*scorpioides²⁹*
				*sonoriense*
					*longifemorale*
					*sonoriense*
				*subrubrum*
					*hippocrepis*
					*steindachneri*
					*subrubrum*
	WCT Care Sheet		*Sternotherus (4.2)*
				*carinatus*
				*depressus*
				*minor*
					*minor*
					*peltifer*
				*odoratus*
		*Staurotypinae*
			*Claudius (1.0)*
				*angustatus*
			*Staurotypus (2.0)*
				*salvinii*
				*triporcatus*
	*Trionychidae*
		*Cyclanorbinae*
			*Cyclanorbis (2.0)*
				*elegans*
				*senegalensis*
			*Cycloderma (2.0)*
				*aubryi*
				*frenatum*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Lissemys (2.2)*
				*punctata*
					*andersoni*
					*punctata*
				*scutata*
WCT Care Sheet		*Trionychinae*
			*Amyda (1.0)*
				*cartilaginea*
			*Apalone (3.9)*
				*ferox*
				*mutica*
					*calvata*
					*mutica*
				*spinifera*
					*aspera*
					*ater*
					*emoryi*
					*guadalupensis*
					*hartwegi*
					*pallida*
					*spinifera*
			*Aspideretes (4.0)*
				*gangeticus*
				*hurum30*
				*leithii*
				*nigricans*
			*Chitra (2.0)*
				*chitra³⁰*
				*indica*
			*Dogania (1.0)*
				*subplana*
			*Nilssonia (1.0)*
				*formosa*
			*Palea (1.0)*
				*steindachneri*⁴³

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Pelochelys³⁰ (2.0)*
				*bibroni*
				*cantorii*
			*Pelodiscus (2.0)*
				axenaria
				*sinensis*
			*Rafetus (2.0)*
				*euphraticus*
				*swinhoei*
			*Trionyx (1.0)*
				*triunguis*

Suborder

Pleurodira

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies
*none*
	*Chelidae*
		*Austrochelidinae*
			*Acanthochelys(4.0)*
				*macrocephala*
				*pallidipectoris*
				*radiolata*
				*spixii*
			*Batrachemys (6.0)*
				*dahli*
				*heliostemma³²*
				*nasuta*
				*raniceps*
				*tuberculata*
				*zuliae*
			*Bufocephala (1.0)*
				*vanderhaegei*
			*Chelus (1.0)*
		WCT Care Sheet		*fimbriatus*
			*Mesoclemmys (1.0)*
				*gibba*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

			*Phrynops (4.0)*
				*geoffroanus*
				*hilarii*
				*tuberosus*
				*williamsi*
			*Platemys (1.2)*
				*platycephala*
			*Ranacephala (1.0)*
				*hogei*
			*Rhinemys (1.0)*
				*rufipes*
		*Chelidinae*
			Chelodina³³(8.0)
				canni
		WCT Care Sheet		*longicollis³⁴*
				*mccordi*
				*novaeguineae*
				*oblonga*
				*pritchardi*
				*reimanni*
				*steindachneri*
			*Elseya (10.0)*
				*bellii*
				*branderhorsti*
				*dentata*
				*georgesi*
				*irwini*
				*latisternum*
				*lavarackorum*
				*novaeguineae*
				*purvisi*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies
			*Elusor (1.0)*
				*macrurus*
			*Emydura (8.5)*
				*australis*
				*krefftii³⁷*
				*macquarrii³⁷*
					*binjing*
					*dharra*
					*dharuk*
					*guanabarra*
					*macquarrii*
					*signata*
				*subglobosa*
				*tanybaraga*
				*victoriae*
				*worrelli*
				*sp.³⁸*
				*sp.³⁹*
			*Macrochelodina* (5.0)
				*burrungandjii³⁵*
				*kuchlingi*
				*expansa*
				*parkeri*
				*rugosa³⁶*
			*Pseudemydura (1.0)*
				*umbrina*
			*Rheodytes (1.0)*
				*leukops*
		*Hydromedusinae*
			*Hydromedusa (2.0)*
				*maximiliani*
				*tectifera*
*none*
	*Pelomedusidae*
		*none*
			*Pelomedusa (1.3)*
				*subrufa*
					*subrufa*
					*olivacea*
					*nigra*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Pelusios (17.7)*
				*adansonii*
				*bechuanicus*
				*broadleyi*
				*carinatus*
				*castaneus*
				*castanoides*
					*castanoides*
					*intergularis*
				*chapini*
				*gabonensis*
				*marani*
				*nanus*
				*niger*
				*rhodesianus*
				*seychellensis*
				*sinuatus*
				*subniger*
					*subniger*
					*parietalis*
				*upembae*
				*williamsi*
					*williamsi*
					*lutescens*
					*laurenti*
*none*
	*Podocnemididae*
		*none*
			*Erymnochelys (1.0)*
				*madagascariensis*
		*none*
			*Peltocephalus (1.0)*
				*dumerilianus*

Superfamily	Family	Subfamily	Genus	Species	Subspecies

		*none*
			*Podocnemis (6.0)*
				*erythrocephala*
				*expansa*
				*lewyana*
				*sextuberculata*
		WCT Care Sheet		*unifilis*⁴²
				*vogli*

Suborder	2
Superfamily	3
Family	14
Subfamily	11
Genera	100
Species	295
Subspecies	166	(minus nominate subspecies)
TTL:	461

Hybrids	3	There are more hybrids out there, three were reduced to hybrids from previous listings as full species.
1 - questionable 2 - valid sub-species yet 1787 Thunberg? 3 - is this sub-species valid? 4 - possible new sub-species? 5 - valid sub-species yet 1899 Philippi? 6 - possible new subspecies? 7 - hartwegi maybe a subspecies of this species 8 - "galloitalica-group" 9 - "hellenica-group" 10 - "orbicularis-group" 11 - "occidentalis-group" 12 - Monotypic 13 - is this still valid 1979 Nutphand? 14 - includes Geoclemys kwangtungensis 15 - includes hainanensis 16 - Hybrid species 17 - Possibly a hybrid 18 - possible new subspecies? 19 - Possibly a hybrid 20 - 18 individuals in Seychelles 21 - 8 individuals in Seychelles 22 - possible subspecies 1996 Pritchard? 23 - Nama padloper, name may be invalid 24 - PIEH & PERÄLÄ, 2002 25 - new subspecies Pieh 2000? 26 - includes floweri 27 - PERÄLÄ, 2001 28 - may be elevated to full species 29 - includes carajasensis & seriei 30 - possible new subspecies? 32 - new species 33 - possible new species 2001 McCord? 34 - Group "A" longicollis group 35 - Group "B" expansa group 36 - may be synonymous with siebenrocki? 37 - may have possible new subspecies Cann? 38 - possible new species (Cooper Creek) 1978 Cann 39 - possible new species (Fraser Island) 1978 Cann 40 - may have been elevated to a full species 41 - Yasukawa et. al. 2001 42 - Is the correct name cayennensis? 43 - Should this be Pelodiscus?
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I would like to thank the following people for their comments and corrections:

	Bill McCord
	Greg Cosentino
	Hans - Dieter Philippen (his comments have been inserted as footnotes to this page)
	Mehdi Joseph
	Patrick Baker
	Rick Hudson
	WCS Reptile House Staff

Taxonomic data - Compiled by Maurice Rodrigues

Web edit - Darrell Senneke

Web edit review - Chris Tabaka DVM

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