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Chelydra serpentina (Common snapping turtle)

Reptilia - Testudines - Chelydridae

Synonyms
  • Devisia mythodes was named by Ogilby (1905) [type thought to be from the Fly River, New Guinea, but apparently a mislabelled North American specimen]. It is extant. Its type specimen is Queensland Museum, a skeleton.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Loveridge and Shreve (1947) and Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Macrochelys floridana was named by Hay (1907) [unnumbered specimen from "what are regarded as Pliocene deposits... Hillsborough County, Florida... Peace Creek Beds." According to Thomas et al. (2014), the type series is USNM 16674-16677, of which they selected USNM 16676 as the lectotype. They also regard the species as belonging to the genus Chelydra instead of Macrochelys. (R. Hulbert, April 2014)]. Its type specimen is USNM 16676, a partial shell (four peripheral bones), and it is a 3D body fossil.

    It was recombined as Chelydra floridana by Thomas et al. (2014); it was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Joyce (2016).
  • Chelydra laticarinata was named by Hay (1916). Its type specimen is USNM V8827, a partial shell, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Vero, which is in a Pleistocene channel sandstone/sandstone in Florida.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Joyce (2016) and Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Chelydra sculpta was named by Hay (1916). Its type specimen is USNM V8826, a partial shell, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Vero, which is in a Pleistocene channel sandstone/sandstone in Florida.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Joyce (2016) and Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Testudo serpentaria was named by Wiedemann (1802). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Chelydra lacertina was named by Schweigger (1812). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Testudo serrata was named by Pennant in Gray (1830). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Testudo longicauda was named by Shaw in Gray (1831). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Chelydra emarginata was named by Agassiz (1857). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
  • Chelydra osceola was named by Stejneger (1918). It is extant.

    It was synonymized subjectively with Chelydra serpentina by Rhodin et al. (2017).
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1758Testudo serpentina Linnaeus
1766Testudo serpentina Linnaeus
1802Testudo serpentaria Wiedemann
1812Chelydra lacertina Schweigger
1830Testudo serrata Pennant in Gray
1831Testudo longicauda Shaw in Gray
1857Chelydra emarginata Agassiz
1875Chelydra serpentina Cope p. 51
1902Chelydra serpentina Hay p. 446
1905Devisia mythodes Ogilby p. 11
1907Macrochelys floridana Hay p. 847
1908Macrochelys floridana Hay p. 222 figs. figs 282-285
1908Chelydra serpentina Hay p. 223
1916Chelydra laticarinata Hay
1916Chelydra sculpta Hay
1918Chelydra osceola Stejneger
1930Chelydra laticarinata Hay p. 85
1930Chelydra sculpta Hay p. 85
1930Chelydra serpentina Hay p. 85
1930Macrochelys floridana Hay p. 85
1947Chelydra serpentina Loveridge and Shreve p. 120
1967Chelydra serpentina Wilson p. 203
2008Chelydra serpentina Hutchison
2008Chelydra serpentina Pérez-García et al.
2011Chelydra serpentina Knauss et al.
2011Chelydra serpentina Pérez-García and Ortega
2014Chelydra floridana Thomas et al. p. 847
2014Chelydra serpentina van Dijk et al.
2017Chelydra serpentina Rhodin et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
RankNameAuthor
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
—Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
familyChelydridae
genusChelydra
speciesserpentina()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Chelydra serpentina Linnaeus 1758 [Common snapping turtle]
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Invalid names: Chelydra emarginata Agassiz 1857 [synonym], Chelydra lacertina Schweigger 1812 [synonym], Chelydra laticarinata Hay 1916 [synonym], Chelydra osceola Stejneger 1918 [synonym], Chelydra sculpta Hay 1916 [synonym], Devisia mythodes Ogilby 1905 [synonym], Macrochelys floridana Hay 1907 [synonym], Testudo longicauda Shaw in Gray 1831 [synonym], Testudo serpentaria Wiedemann 1802 [synonym], Testudo serrata Pennant in Gray 1830 [synonym]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
partNmeanminimummaximum
carapace height330131.5130.0133.0

Composition: phosphaticsubp
Body part: carapacef
Adult length: 100 to < 1000f
Grouping: solitaryf
Environment: freshwaterf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticf
Diet: piscivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-25 13:50:05
Modified: 2005-09-09 19:46:40
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988, Ernst and Barbour 1989

Age range: base of the Pleistocene to the top of the Holocene or 2.58800 to 0.00000 Ma

Collections (26 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Hemphillian - Blancan10.3 - 1.8USA (Indiana) Chelydra serpentina (18320)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Florida) Chelydra floridana (19752 113275)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Nebraska) Chelydra serpentina (19960)
Blancan4.9 - 1.8USA (Kansas) Chelydra serpentina (19940)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Chelydra serpentina (227368)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (South Carolina) Chelydra serpentina (65405)
Pleistocene2.588 - 0.0117USA (Maryland) Chelydra serpentina (127111)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Florida) Chelydra floridana (20308 20400)
Irvingtonian1.8 - 0.3USA (Kansas) Chelydra serpentina (20390 20422)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (Florida) Chelydra serpentina (20440)
Rancholabrean0.3 - 0.012USA (Nevada) Chelydra serpentina (223356)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Florida) Chelydra laticarinata, Chelydra sculpta (34269) Chelydra serpentina (154805)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Michigan) Chelydra serpentina (200622 200623)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Georgia) Chelydra serpentina (20604 20613)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (New Jersey) Chelydra serpentina (201280)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Virginia) Chelydra serpentina (82258 103358)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Quebec) Chelydra serpentina (224189)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Florida) Chelydra serpentina (227371)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Georgia) Chelydra serpentina (152113)