Description of a New Softshell Turtle from the Southeastern United StatesWebb, Robert G. (Robert Gravem)
Science
Description of a New Softshell Turtle from the Southeastern United States
Webb, Robert G. (Robert Gravem)
Turtles
Forefeet and hind feet well-webbed and with five digits
each; each limb with nails on first three digits; dorsal
surface of each forelimb with four cornified areas, three of
which have a free edge; each hind limb with two cornified
areas, one smooth on posterodorsal surface and other with
free edge on posteroventral surface.
Tail terminating in flexible point and not extending beyond
posterior edge of carapace; anus to tip of tail, 2.6 mm;
anus to posterior edge of carapace, 8.1 mm.
In preservative: Ground color of carapace dark tan having
pattern of 49 brownish spots; 47 spots circular; two spots
noticeably elongate, one representing fusion of two circular
spots; 17 spots on carapace not exceeding 2.0 mm in
diameter, whereas 32 spots range from 2.5 to 4.0 mm in
diameter; periphery of carapace pale except anteriorly;
maximum width of pale margin (posteriorly), 3.3 mm; junction
of pale margin and dorsal ground color formed by rough-edged
line composed of small, closely-set dots; pattern of fine
punctations and other marks on dorsal surface of forelimbs
and hind limbs.
Ground color of underparts whitish, lacking markings; top of
head and snout gray, lacking markings; lower eyelids with
small dark dots.
_Description of paratypes._--Adult females (2 specimens). No
striping on dorsal surface of snout; pale postocular stripe
not distinct, dark borders obscure (head not extended in TU
13473); carapace circular, pale brown with mottled pattern;
carapace lacking pattern of large spots; dark marks present
in pale margin of carapace; dorsal surface of soft parts of
body finely stippled, larger marks on hind limbs and on
anterior surface of forelimbs near their insertions;
plastron and ventral surface of soft parts of body without
markings. Maximal measurements, respectively, are: length of
plastron, 172 and 180 mm; length of carapace, 238 and 263
mm; width of carapace, 203 and 218 mm; width of head, 28
and? mm.
Immature female (1 specimen). Carapace circular having
juvenal pattern of large spots, some of which have borders
darker than their centers and are best described as ocelli;
junction of pale margin and ground color of carapace formed
by ill-defined, ragged dark border; dorsal surface of
forelimbs and hind limbs finely streaked and dotted, larger
marks occurring toward insertions of forelimbs; lower border
of pale postocular stripe in contact with upper margin of
postlabial pale stripe; no stripes on dorsal surface of
snout; fine markings on dorsal surface of neck. Maximal
measurements are: length of plastron, 56 mm; length of
carapace, 82 mm; width of carapace, 77 mm; depth of shell,
13 mm; width of head, 12 mm.
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