Podocnemis

Podocnemis is a genus of aquatic turtles, commonly known as South American river turtles, in the family Podocnemididae. The genus consists of six extant species occurring in tropical South America.^[1] Three additional species are known only from fossils.

Species

These six species are extant.^[1]

• Podocnemis erythrocephala (Spix, 1824) – red-headed Amazon River turtle
• Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger, 1812) – Arrau turtle
• Podocnemis lewyana A.H.A. Duméril, 1852 – Magdalena River turtle
• Podocnemis sextuberculata Cornalia, 1849 – six-tubercled Amazon River turtle
• Podocnemis unifilis Troschel, 1848 – yellow-spotted river turtle, yellow-headed sideneck^[2]
• Podocnemis vogli L. Müller, 1935 – savanna side-necked turtle

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Podocnemis.

Fossil species

The following four species are extinct, all from late Neogene deposits in South America:

• Podocnemis bassleri †
• Podocnemis medemi †^[3]
• Podocnemis pritchardi †^[3]
• Podocnemis tatacoensis †Cadena & Vanegas, 2023.^[4]

Cast of the skull of the extinct species P. bassleri (AMNH 1662)

The Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) species "Podocnemis" parva Haas, 1978, based on remains from the West Bank, is now assigned to Algorachelus, as A. parvus.^[5]

References