Elseya Gray, 1867 :44

Thomson, Scott, Amepou, Yolarnie, Anamiato, Jim & Georges, Arthur, 2015, A new species and subgenus of Elseya (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 4006 (1), pp. 59-82 : 61-62

Subgenus Elseya Gray, 1867:44

The nominotypical subgenus, established by Thomson et al., this work. Type Species: Elseya dentata ( Gray 1863: 98) .

Diagnosis: A medial constriction in suture between the anterior bridge strut and the carapace; ileum sutures to the carapace on the posterior 2/3 of the 8th pleural (Figure 2); cervical scute absent except as a rare variant; parietal arch narrow; no prominent process of the head shield extending down the parietal ridge toward the tympanum; temporal region covered with prominent scales; temporal stripes absent; lingual ridge on the ramphotheca and the dentary bones absent; alveolar ridge moderately developed, narrow, clearly visible on the ramphotheca and the underlying dentary ( Figure 3 ).

Referred species: Elseya dentata ( Gray 1863: 98) , Elseya branderhorsti ( Ouwens 1914) , Elseya sp. aff. dentata (Sth Alligator) (sensu Georges & Adams 1992) . ( Figure 4)

FIGURE 2. Comparison of the ileum suture of A. Elseya branderhorsti and B. Elseya rhodini . P7—Pleural 7, P8—Pleural 8, SP—Suprapygal, Pe10—10th Peripheral, Pe11—11th Peripheral, T8—8th Thoracic Vertebrae, T9—9th Thoracic Vertebrae.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Internal mouth parts of Elseya branderhorsti showing the alveolar ridge, present in E. (Elseya) secondarily lost in E. (Hanwarachelys).