Chelodina kuchlingi

Chelodina kuchlingi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Chelidae
Genus: Chelodina
Subgenus: Chelydera
Species:
C. kuchlingi
Binomial name
Chelodina kuchlingi
Cann, 1997[2]

Chelodina (Chelydera) kuchlingi, commonly known as Kuchling's long-necked turtle or Kuchling's turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Etymology

The specific name, kuchlingi, is in honor of Australian herpetologist Gerald Kuchling.[3]

Taxonomy

Chelodina kuchlingi had been considered the same species as Chelodina rugosa for the last decade, however, the species has been resurrected[1] and is now believed to come from the Northern Kimberley regions of Western Australia, Australia. Evidence it is a species has only recently been published with genetic results taken from the holotype showing it differed by 4% of loci from its nearest relatives.[4] The species is only known from the holotype at this time.

Biology

Little is known about C. kuchlingi, and a number of research projects are underway to evaluate it.

References

  1. ^ a b Turtle Taxonomy Working Group [ van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Rhodin, A.G.J., Shaffer, H.B., and Bour, R. ] (2014). "Turtles of the world, 7th edition: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status". In: Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., and Mittermeier, R.A. (Editors). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs 5 (7): 000.329–479 doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v7.2014
  2. ^ Cann, John (1997). "Kuchling’s turtle". Monitor, Journal of the Victorian Herpetological Society 9 (1): 32, 41–44. (Chelodina kuchlingi, new species).
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Chelodina kuchlingi, p. 147).
  4. ^ Kehlmaier, Christian; Zhang, Xiuwen; Georges, Arthur; Campbell, Patrick D.; Thomson, Scott; Fritz, Uwe (2019). "Mitogenomics of historical type specimens of Australasian turtles: clarification of taxonomic confusion and old mitochondrial introgression". Scientific Reports 9: 5841. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42310-x