Chelydra
{{Short description|Genus of turtles}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Snapping_turtle_2_md.jpg
| image_caption = Chelydra serpentina
| taxon = Chelydra
| authority = Schweigger, 1812
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text.
| type_species = Chelydra serpentina
| type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
}}
Chelydra is one of the two extant genera of the snapping turtle family, Chelydridae, the other being Macrochelys, the much larger alligator snapping turtle.{{cite journal|url=http://images.turtleconservancy.org/documents/2017/crm-7-checklist-atlas-v8-2017.pdf |title=Turtles of the world, 2050 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status(8th Ed.)|journal=Chelonian Research Monographs |volume=7 |access-date=October 4, 2019|date=August 3, 2017 |last1=Rhodin | first1=Anders G.J. |last2=Inverson |first2=John B. |last3=Roger |first3=Bour |last4=Fritz |first4=Uwe |last5=Georges |first5=Arthur |last6=Shaffer |first6=H. Bradley |last7=van Dijk |first7=Peter Paul |isbn=978-1-5323-5026-9}} The snapping turtles are native to the Americas, with Chelydra having three species, one in North America and two in Central America, one of which is also found in northwestern South America.
Species
The genus Chelydra has the following species:{{cite journal |collaboration=Turtle Extinctions Working Group |author1=Rhodin, A.G.J. |author2=Thomson, S. |author3=Georgalis, G. |author4=Karl, H.-V. |author5=Danilov, I.G. |author6=Takahashi, A. |author7=de la Fuente, M.S. |author8=Bourque, J.R. |author9=Delfino M. |author10=Bour, R. |author11=Iverson, J.B. |author12=Shaffer, H.B. |author13=van Dijk, P.P. |title=Turtles and tortoises of the world during the rise and global spread of humanity: first checklist and review of extinct Pleistocene and Holocene chelonians. |journal=Chelonian Research Monographs |volume=5 |issue=8 |pages=000e.1–66 |doi=10.3854/crm.5.000e.fossil.checklist.v1.2015 |year=2015 |doi-access=free |hdl=11336/62240 |hdl-access=free }}
- Chelydra acutirostris (W. Peters, 1862) – South American snapping turtle
- Chelydra rossignonii (Bocourt, 1868) – Central American snapping turtle
- Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758) – common snapping turtle (North America)
- Chelydra floridana†
- Chelydra laticarinata†
- Chelydra sculpta†
File:Chelydra fossil FLMNH.jpg-aged Chelydra fossil skeleton from Florida (FLMNH)]]
The three extant Chelydra species were once all considered to be several subspecies of Chelydra serpentina, along with a fourth subspecies in Florida, Chelydra serpentina osceola.{{Cite journal|last1=Phillips|first1=Christopher A.|last2=Dimmick|first2=Walter W.|last3=Carr|first3=John L.|date=April 1996|title=Conservation Genetics of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)|url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10020397.x|journal=Conservation Biology|language=en|volume=10|issue=2|pages=397–405|doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10020397.x|bibcode=1996ConBi..10..397P |issn=0888-8892|url-access=subscription}} C. s. osceola is now considered to be synonymous with C. serpentina.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chelydridae}}
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