Chelodina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chelodina |
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| Australian snake-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Pleurodira |
| Family: | Chelidae |
| Subfamily: | Chelodininae |
| Genus: | Chelodina Fitzinger, 1826 |
| Type species | |
| Testudo longicollis Shaw, 1794 |
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Chelodina, often called snake-necked turtles, is a large group of turtles with very long necks. They are part of the Chelidae family. These unique turtles live in Australia, New Guinea, Rote Island in Indonesia, and East Timor.
Snake-necked turtles are known for how they protect themselves. Instead of pulling their head straight back into their shell like many turtles, they tuck their long neck to the side of their body. Their shells are usually oval-shaped and can be small to medium in size.
Contents
Different Kinds of Snake-Necked Turtles
The Chelodina group is divided into smaller groups called subgenera. Each subgenus has its own special features.
The Chelodina Subgenus
This group includes many of the well-known snake-necked turtles. They are typically small to medium-sized and have oval shells.
The Chelydera Subgenus
Turtles in the Chelydera subgenus are sometimes called "thick-necked snake-necked turtles." They have extremely long necks and flat heads. These turtles are expert fish eaters. They use a special "strike and gape" method to catch their prey. The largest turtle in this group is the Chelodina (Chelydera) expansa, which can have a shell about 45 cm (18 in) long! The oldest known fossils of these turtles, called C. (Chelydera) alanrixi, were found in Queensland and date back to the Eocene period.
The Macrochelodina Subgenus
This subgenus has only one known species: the Chelodina (Macrochelodina) oblonga. This special turtle lives in Western Australia.
Types of Snake-Necked Turtles
Scientists group these turtles to understand them better. Here are some of the species found within the different Chelodina subgenera.
Living Species
| Common name | Scientific name | Picture |
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| Subgenus: Chelodina Fitzinger, 1826 | ||
| Cann's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina canni McCord & Thomson, 2002 |
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| Gunalen's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina gunaleni McCord & Joseph-Ouni, 2007 |
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| Eastern long-necked turtle | Chelodina longicollis (Shaw, 1794) |
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| Roti Island snake-necked turtle McCord's snakeneck turtle |
Chelodina mccordi Rhodin, 1994b |
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| New Guinea snake-necked turtle | Chelodina novaeguineae Boulenger, 1888 |
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| Reimann's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina reimanni Philippen and Grossmann, 1990 |
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| Pritchard's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina pritchardi Rhodin, 1994a |
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| Steindachner's long-necked turtle Dinner-plate turtle |
Chelodina steindachneri Siebenrock, 1914 |
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| Subgenus: Chelydera Thomson & Georges, 2020 | ||
| Arnhem Land long-necked turtle | Chelodina burrungandjii Thomson, Kennett & Georges, 2000 |
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| Giant snake-necked turtle | Chelodina expansa Gray, 1857 |
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| Kuchling's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina kuchlingi Cann, 1997 |
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| Darwin snake-necked turtle | Chelodina kurrichalpongo (Joseph-Ouni, McCord, Cann, & Smales, 2019) |
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| Parker's snake-necked turtle | Chelodina parkeri Rhodin and Mittermeier, 1976 |
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| Northern snake-necked turtle North Australian snake-necked turtle |
Chelodina rugosa Ogilby, 1890 |
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| Kimberley long neck turtle Kimberley snake-necked turtle |
Chelodina walloyarrina McCord & Joseph-Ouni 2007b:59 |
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| Subgenus: Macrochelodina Wells & Wellington 1985 | ||
| Southwestern snake-necked turtle Narrow-breasted snake-necked turtle |
Chelodina oblonga Gray, 1841 |
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Extinct Species
Scientists have also found fossils of snake-necked turtles that no longer live today. Here are three known extinct species:
- Chelodina alanrixi was found in Queensland, Australia. This fossil turtle lived during the Eocene Epoch.
- Chelodina insculpta was found in Darling Downs, Queensland. This species lived between the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods.
- Chelodina murrayi was discovered near Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory. It seems to be related to the Chelodina novaeguineae group.
Images for kids
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Fossil of Chelodina alanrixi
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Fossil of Chelodina insculpta
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See also
In Spanish: Chelodina para niños
