Which is the largest species of the turtle family?
"protecting the nests and checking their eggs' temperature, although it might be that none of the eggs are fertile. Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 lists ""D. coriacea"" as vulnerable, while Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992 lists it as endangered. Leatherback sea turtle The leatherback sea turtle (""Dermochelys coriacea""), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth-heaviest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. It can easily be differentiated from other modern"
"Archelon Archelon (from the Greek roots ἀρχε- ""arkhe-"" ""chief"" and χελώνη ""chelone"" ""turtle"", meaning ""ruler turtle"") is an extinct sea turtle from the Late Cretaceous, the largest ever to have been documented– head to tail and flipper to flipper–and the second-heaviest––behind ""Stupendemys"". The first specimen of ""Archelon"" (YPM 3000) was collected from the Campanian-age Pierre Shale of South Dakota (a geological formation dated to 80.5 million years ago) by Dr. G.R. Wieland in 1895 and described by him the following year (Wieland, 1896). The largest ""Archelon"" fossil, found in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota in the 1970s, measures more"
"probably did not frequent the open ocean as much. Archelon Archelon (from the Greek roots ἀρχε- ""arkhe-"" ""chief"" and χελώνη ""chelone"" ""turtle"", meaning ""ruler turtle"") is an extinct sea turtle from the Late Cretaceous, the largest ever to have been documented– head to tail and flipper to flipper–and the second-heaviest––behind ""Stupendemys"". The first specimen of ""Archelon"" (YPM 3000) was collected from the Campanian-age Pierre Shale of South Dakota (a geological formation dated to 80.5 million years ago) by Dr. G.R. Wieland in 1895 and described by him the following year (Wieland, 1896). The largest ""Archelon"" fossil, found in the Pierre"
"Elseya albagula Elseya albagula, commonly known as the white-throated snapping turtle, is one of the largest species of chelid turtles in the world, growing to about carapace length. The species is endemic to south-eastern Queensland, Australia, in the Burnett, Mary, and Fitzroy River drainages. This species is entirely aquatic, rarely coming ashore and is chiefly herbivorous, feeding on the fruits and buds of riparian vegetation, algae, and large aquatic plants. First proposed as a species by John Goode in the 1960s, it was finally described in 2006. The species is named from the Latin ""alba"" = white and ""gula"" ="
"Arrau turtle The Arrau turtle (""Podocnemis expansa""), also known as the South American river turtle, giant South American turtle, giant Amazon River turtle, Arrau sideneck turtle or simply the Arrau, is the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira) and the largest freshwater turtle in Latin America. The species primarily feeds on plant material and typically nests in large groups on beaches. Due to hunting of adults, collecting of their eggs, pollution, habitat loss, and dams, the Arrau turtle is seriously threatened. Arrau turtles are found in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and"
"Protostegidae Protostegidae is a family of extinct marine turtles that lived during the Cretaceous period. The family includes some of the largest sea turtles that ever existed. The largest, ""Archelon"", had a head long. Like most sea turtles, they had flattened bodies and flippers for front appendages; protostegids had minimal shells like leatherback turtles of modern times. As some of the first marine turtles, the protostegids set the general body plan for future species of sea turtles. They had a generally depressed turtle body plan, complete with four limbs, a short tail, and a large head at the end of"
"Sea Turtles often inhabit open waters but are still sometimes seen on coastal waters because of their title of the most migratory sea turtle species. The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the largest turtle in the world, weighing up to two thousand pounds and reaching up to six and a half feet by their adult years. The shell of the Leatherback Turtle, also called a carapace, can develop to one and a half inches and is the only shell on a sea turtle that is not hard and boney but rather soft and leather like to the touch. The front flippers"
"Cantor's giant softshell turtle Cantor's giant softshell turtle or Asian giant softshell turtle (""Pelochelys cantorii"") is a species of freshwater turtle native to Southeast Asia. It has been considered the largest extant freshwater turtle. The species is endangered and in the 20th century has disappeared from much of its former range. Cantor's giant softshell turtle is not found in New Guinea, while the two other members of the genus ""Pelochelys"", ""P. bibroni"" and ""P. signifera"" are both restricted to New Guinea. ""P. cantorii"" is relatively unstudied, and the current species may actually be composed of several taxa. One study from"
"turtle or tortoise's shell, is comparably more reduced from other turtle species and is connected to the top part of the shell by ligaments without a hinge separating the pectoral and abdominal plates of the plastron. Sizes among the seven species of sea turtles range from 71-213cm; for example, the smallest turtle species in the family Cheloniidae, the Kemp's Ridley, only has a shell size of about 75 cm and a weight of 50 kg. All species have a distinct hardened shell. Reproductive behaviors among the different species of sea turtles are similar, with slight differences in each of the"
"(1500 lb). Other species are smaller, being mostly 60–120 cm (2–4 ft) and proportionally narrower. Sea turtles, along with other turtles and tortoises, are part of the order Testudines. All species except the leatherback are in the family Cheloniidae. The leatherback is the only extant member of the family Dermochelyidae. The origin of sea turtles goes back to the Late Jurassic (150 million years ago) with genera such as ""Plesiochelys"", from Europe. In Africa, the first marine turtle is ""Angolachelys"", from the Turonian of Angola. However, neither of these are related to extant sea turtles; the oldest representative of the"
"Big-headed pantanal swamp turtle The big-headed pantanal swamp turtle or pantanal swamp turtle (""Acanthochelys macrocephala"") is a species of turtle in the Chelidae family found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. This is the largest of the South American ""Acanthochelys"" species, growing to in carapace length. It has a broad, oval to moderately elongated, deep carapace with a shallow dorsal groove extending along the second to fourth vertebrals. The first and fifth vertebral scutes are very broad, the second through fourth may be slightly longer than broad, and the fifth is laterally expanded. Vertebral and pleural scutes may be rugose"
"Big-headed turtle The big-headed turtle (""Platysternon megacephalum"") is a species of turtle in the family Platysternidae from Southeast Asia and southern China. Previously considered a distinct family placed on occasion in ""Kinosternoidea"", it was later moved to the Emydidae. With the Geoemydidae being split off from these, it seems wisest to reinstate, at least for the time being, the Platysternidae. This, as well as the subfamily and the genus ""Platysternon"", are monotypic. It is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The big-headed turtle is known to readily climb over obstacles in and around rivers and fast streams,"
"largest hard-shelled turtle, slightly larger at average and maximum mature weights than the green sea turtle and the Galapagos tortoise. It is also the world's second largest extant turtle after the leatherback sea turtle. Adults have an average weight range of , averaging about , and a straight-line carapace length range of . The maximum reported weight is and the maximum (presumed total) length is . The head and carapace (upper shell) range from a yellow-orange to a reddish brown, while the plastron (underside) is typically pale yellow. The turtle's neck and sides are brown on the tops and yellow"
"Loggerhead sea turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (""Caretta caretta""), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately , with the largest specimens weighing in at more than . The skin ranges from yellow to brown in color, and the shell is typically reddish brown. No external differences in sex are seen until the turtle becomes an adult, the most obvious difference being the"
"Sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are: the green, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, hawksbill, flatback, and leatherback. The majority of a sea turtle's body is protected by its shell. The turtle's shell is divided into two sections: the carapace (the dorsal portion) and the plastron (the ventral portion). The shell is made up of smaller plates called scutes. The leatherback is the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell. Instead, it bears a mosaic"
"are webbed and are three-clawed, hence the family name ""Trionychidae,"" which means ""three-clawed."" The carapace color of each type of softshell turtle tends to match the sand and/or mud color of its geographical region, assisting in their ""lie and wait"" feeding methodology. Females can grow up to several feet in carapace diameter, while males stay much smaller; this is their main form of sexual dimorphism. ""Pelochelys cantorii"", found in southeastern Asia, is the largest softshell turtle on earth. These turtles have many characteristics pertaining to their aquatic lifestyle. Many must be submerged in order to swallow their food. Most are"
"turtle appears on the $1000 Colombian Peso coin. In the United States, the loggerhead sea turtle is the official state reptile of South Carolina and also the state saltwater reptile of Florida. Loggerhead sea turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (""Caretta caretta""), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately , with the largest specimens weighing in at more than . The skin ranges"
"than long, and about wide from flipper to flipper, making it the largest turtle ever discovered. It was a marine turtle, whose closest living relative is the leatherback sea turtle. ""Archelon"" lived at a time when a shallow sea covered most of central North America. Most of the known remains have been found in South Dakota and Wyoming. Though anatomically similar to the earlier species ""Protostega gigas"", it was much larger. Unlike most modern turtles but like the related leatherback sea turtle, ""Archelon"" did not have a solid shell, but instead had a skeletal framework supporting a leathery or bony"
"Giant musk turtle The giant musk turtle (""Staurotypus salvinii"" ), also known commonly as the Chiapas giant musk turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is endemic to Central America. ""S. salvinii"" is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca). The specific name, ""salvinii"", is in honor of English naturalist and herpetologist Osbert Salvin. ""S. salvinii"" is typically much larger than other species of Kinosternidae, attaining a straight carapace length of up to 36 cm (14 inches), with males being significantly smaller than females. It is typically brown, black, or green"
"Turrid Turrid, plural turrids, is a common name for a very large group of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks which until recently were all classified in the family Turridae. However, recently the family was discovered to be polyphyletic and therefore was split into a number of families. The original family Turridae used to contain more than 4,000 species. the Turridae (""sensu"" Powell 1966) It was the largest mollusk family and the largest group of marine caenogastropods. There were approximately 27,000 described scientific names (accepted names plus synonyms) within the family Turridae. Turrids constituted more than half of the predatory"
"Alligator snapping turtle The alligator snapping turtle (""Macrochelys temminckii"" ) is a species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is native to freshwater habitats in the United States. ""M. temminckii"" is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle, which is in the genus ""Chelydra"". The specific epithet ""temminckii"" is in honor of Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. Although it was once believed that only one extant species exists in the genus ""Macrochelys"", recent studies have shown that there are two species, the"
"that a pair at Suzhou Zoo in China will breed. The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is noted for its deep head with a pig-like snout and dorsally placed eyes. This critically endangered species holds the title of being the largest freshwater turtle in the world. Although hard to compare due to the extremely small number of remaining specimens, its average and maximum sizes seem to exceed other large freshwater turtles such as alligator snapping turtles and related giant softshells such as other ""Rafetus"" and ""Pelochelys"" species. It measures over in overall length and to in width, and can easily weigh"
"Chelodina expansa ""Chelodina"" (""Macrochelodina"") ""expansa"", commonly known as the broad-shelled river turtle or the broad-shelled snake-necked turtle, is a pleurodire freshwater turtle and is the largest of the long-necked turtles. The broad-shelled river turtle is one of the oldest maturing and longest living species of freshwater turtles in existence and occurs in wide sympatry with ""Emydura macquarii"" and ""Chelodina longicollis"". ""C. expansa"" is listed as ‘vulnerable’ in South Australia and ‘threatened’ in Victoria. Broad-shelled river turtles are found throughout the Murray-Darling River system of South-Eastern Australia. A number of distinctive populations have been located across central and coastal Queensland areas."
"Geoemydidae ""Not to be confused with Geomyidae."" The Geoemydidae (formerly known as Bataguridae) are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles. Geoemydidae are turtles of various sizes (from about in length) with often a high degree of sexual dimorphism. They usually have webbed toes, and their pelvic girdles articulate with their plastrons flexibly. Their necks are drawn back vertically. Their carapaces have 24 marginal scutes. The plastron is composed of 12 scutes and has no mesoplastron; the"
"distinct from those of other marine turtles. Desmatochelys padillai Desmatochelys padillai is an extinct species of sea turtle described in 2015 and belongs to the family Protostegidae. Estimated to be more than 120 millions years old, it became the oldest known sea turtle, superseding a record earlier held by ""Santanachelys gaffneyi"", which was described in 1998. The fossil, including bones and shells, was discovered from Villa de Leyva in Colombia in 2007. The specimen is larger than an average-sized humans, measuring 2 m in length, and exhibits the key features of modern sea turtles. The specific name is given in"
"Spiny softshell turtle The spiny softshell turtle (""Apalone spinifera"") is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, ""spinifera"" (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace, which are not scutes (scales). The spiny softshell turtle’s scientific name is very descriptive of the animal. “Apalone” comes from the Greek word “apalos” meaning soft or tender, and “spinifera” is of Latin descent; “spina-“ referring to thorn or spine and “-ifer” meaning bearing. This species is a member of"
"per person per year. Family Trionychidae Cladogram after Walter G. Joyce, Ariel Revan, Tyler R. Lyson and Igor G. Danilov (2009). Trionychidae The Trionychidae are a taxonomic family of a number of turtle genera. Softshells include some of the world's largest freshwater turtles, though many can adapt to living in highly brackish areas. Members of this family occur in Africa, Asia, and North America. Most species have traditionally been included in the genus ""Trionyx"", but the vast majority have since been moved to other genera. Among these are the North American ""Apalone"" softshells that were placed in ""Trionyx"" until 1987."
"the terrestrial tortoises, and many of the freshwater turtles. The Pleurodira are sometimes known as the side-necked turtles, a reference to the way they retract their heads into their shells. This smaller group consists primarily of various freshwater turtles. Clade Testudinata Turtle fossils of hatchling and nestling size have been documented in the scientific literature. Paleontologists from North Carolina State University have found the fossilized remains of the world's largest turtle in a coal mine in Colombia. The specimen named as ""Carbonemys cofrinii"" is around 60 million years old and nearly 2.4 m (8 ft) long. On a few rare"
"months; hatchlings (about 3.8 mm) have orange-red spots on carapace, plastron, and sides of the neck. Snails form a large part of this turtle's diet. The status of this species is listed as lower risk: near threatened by the IUCN. The Chaco population, listed separately as ""Acanthochelys chacoensis"", is considered vulnerable. Big-headed pantanal swamp turtle The big-headed pantanal swamp turtle or pantanal swamp turtle (""Acanthochelys macrocephala"") is a species of turtle in the Chelidae family found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. This is the largest of the South American ""Acanthochelys"" species, growing to in carapace length. It has a"
"has previously been placed in the genus ""Colossochelys"", however this name is in fact a junior synonym of ""Megalochelys"", the statement of ""withdrawn"" by Auffenberg (1974). Hence the correct genus is ""Megalochelys"" and the correct species is ""M. atlas"". Megalochelys atlas Megalochelys atlas is an extinct species of giant cryptodiran turtle from the Miocene through to the Pleistocene periods. During the dry glacial periods it ranged from western India and Pakistan (possibly even as far west as southern and eastern Europe) to as far east as Sulawesi and Timor in Indonesia. ""Megalochelys atlas"" is the largest known member of Testudinidae,"
"Hunters capture them on lines with baited straight pins, so this species is rapidly disappearing in the wild. In addition, two other subspecies, ""P. m. tristernalis"" (1984) and ""P. m. vogeli"" (1969), have been given, but may be invalid. Big-headed turtle The big-headed turtle (""Platysternon megacephalum"") is a species of turtle in the family Platysternidae from Southeast Asia and southern China. Previously considered a distinct family placed on occasion in ""Kinosternoidea"", it was later moved to the Emydidae. With the Geoemydidae being split off from these, it seems wisest to reinstate, at least for the time being, the Platysternidae. This,"
"of them monotypic: The family also contains a number of prehistoric genera, including ""Albertwoodemys"", ""Bairdemys"", ""Bauruemys"", ""Brontochelys"", ""Caninemys"", ""Cordichelys"", ""Dacquemys"", ""Lapparentemys"", ""Latentemys"", ""Lemurchelys"", ""Mogharemys"", ""Neochelys"", ""Papoulemys"", ""Peiropemys"", ""Pricemys"", ""Shweboemys"", ""Stereogenys"", ""Turkanemys"", ""Cambaremys"", ""Carbonemys"", ""Cerrejonemys"", ""Kenyemys"", ""Roxochelys"" and ""Stupendemys"". ""Stupendemys"" lived around 5.5 million years ago in northern South America, and was the largest freshwater turtle and the largest pleurodire known to date. Podocnemididae Podocnemididae is a family of pleurodire turtles native to Madagascar and northern South America. Podocnemidid turtles are commonly called ""side-necked turtles"" in direct reference to their inability to retract their heads backwards, but hide them sideways. These"
"Turtle Turtles are diapsids of the order Testudines (or Chelonii) characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield. ""Turtle"" may refer to the order as a whole (American English) or to fresh-water and sea-dwelling testudines (British English). The order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known members of this group date from , making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than snakes or crocodilians. Of the 356 known species alive today, some are highly endangered. Turtles are ectotherms—animals commonly called cold-blooded—meaning"