Biology:Turtle classification

Turtles have been classified in different ways by different authors. While they were previously considered anapsids, they are now considered more derived. Recent analyses of molecular evidence have strongly suggested that they belong in the clade Archosauromorpha (also known as Archelosauria). Below are many of the possible classifications of Testudines and Testudinata:

Thomson and Shaffer, 2010

Below is a cladogram of living testudines found by Thomson and Shaffer in 2010:

Testudines

Pleurodira Pelomedusoides   Pelusios subniger   Pelomedusidae     Pelusios gabonensis     Pelusios williamsi         Pelomedusa subrufa     Pelusios sinuatus       Podocnemididae   Peltocephalus dumerilianus     Podocnemis unifilis     Podocnemis lewyana       Podocnemis expansa     Erymnochelys madagascariensis         Chelidae Chelodininae     Chelodina rugosa       Chelodina longicollis     Chelodina oblonga           Pseudemydura umbrina       Emydura subglobosa       Elseya dentata     Elseya latisternum     Rheodytes leukops       Elusor macrurus     Elseya purvisi         Elseya georgesi     Emydura macquarii                 Hydromedusa tectifera   Chelinae   Chelus fimbriata       Platemys platycephala       Mesoclemmys nasuta     Mesoclemmys gibba         Acanthochelys radiolata       Acanthochelys spixii     Acanthochelys pallidipectoris           Mesoclemmys hogei       Phrynops williamsi       Phrynops geoffroanus     Phrynops hilarii                     Trionychia   Carettochelys insculpta   Trionychidae Cyclanorbinae     Lissemys scutata     Lissemys punctata           Cycloderma frenatum     Cycloderma aubryi         Cyclanorbis senegalensis     Cyclanorbis elegans         Trionychinae     Trionyx triunguis         Pelochelys bibroni     Pelochelys cantorii         Chitra vandijki       Chitra indica     Chitra chitra                 Rafetus euphraticus       Apalone mutica       Apalone ferox     Apalone spinifera               Pelodiscus sinensis     Pelodiscus axenaria         Palea steindachneri       Dogania subplana       Amyda cartilaginea       Nilssonia gangetica       Nilssonia formosa     Nilssonia hurum                         See below for Chelydridae, Chelonioidea, Kinosternoidea, Platysternidae, Emydidae, Testudinidae and Geoemydidae

Sterli 2010

Below is a cladogram found by Sterli in 2010 in a phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodira:

Testudinata

†Proganochelys quenstedti   Rhaptochelydia †Australochelyidae   †Palaeochersis talampayensis     †Australochelys africanus         †Proterochersis robusta       †Kayentachelys aprix     †Condorchelys antiqua     †Heckerochelys romani     †Indochelys spatulata         †Mongolochelys efremovi   †Meiolaniidae   †Meiolania platyceps     †Niolamia argentina         †Chubutemys copelloi       †Kallokibotion bajazidi       †Santanachelys gaffneyi       †Solnhofia parsonsi       †Plesiochelyidae   †Portlandemys macdowelli     †Plesiochelys solodurensis         †Dorsetochelys delairi     †Thalassemys moseri   Pleurosternidae   †Pleurosternon bullockii       †Glyptops plicatulus     †Dinochelys whitei       Baenidae   †Neurankylus eximius       †Trinitichelys hiatti       †Plesiobaena antiqua     †Boremys pulchra       †Baena arenosa     †Chisternon undulatum                   †Siamochelys peninsularis     †Xinjiangchelys latimarginalis     Testudines see tree below

Testudines

†Hangaiemys hoburensis     †Judithemys sukhanovi       †Dracochelys bicuspis       †Sinemys lens     †Ordosemys leios         Chelonioidea   †Toxochelys latiremys     †Mesodermochelys undulatus     Dermochelys coriacea   Cheloniidae   Caretta caretta     Chelonia mydas           Testudinoidea   Platysternon megacephalum       †Mongolemys elegans     Emydidae   Chrysemys picta     Trachemys scripta         Geoclemys hamiltonii   Testudinidae   Gopherus polyphemus     Chelonoidis chilensis                   †Protochelydra zangerli   Chelydridae   Macroclemys temminckii     Chelydra serpentina           †Emarginachelys cretacea     Kinosternoidea   †Baptemys wyomingensis     Dermatemys mawii     †Hoplochelys crassa   Kinosternidae   Staurotypus triporcatus       Sternotherus odoratus     Kinosternon flavescens               †Adocus beati       †Zangerlia neimongolensis     †Basilemys variolosa             †Peltochelys durlstoensis       †Anosteira ornata     Carettochelys insculpta   Trionychidae   Lissemys punctata       Apalone spinifera     Pelodiscus sinensis             †Sandownia harrisi   Pleurodira     †Platychelys oberndorferi     †Caribemys oxfordiensis     †Notoemys laticentralis     Chelidae     Phrynops geoffroanus     Chelus fimbriata           Elseya dentata     Elseya latisternum         Chelodina oblonga     Chelodina longicollis         Pelomedusoides   Pelomedusa subrufa       Erymnochelys madagascariensis     Podocnemis expansa

Joyce, 2007

Below is a cladogram found by Joyce in 2007 in his publication on turtle phylogeny:

Testudinata

Proganochelys quenstedti       Palaeochersis talampayensis     Australochelys africanus       Proterochersis robusta       Kayentachelys aprix         Meiolania platyceps     Mongolochelys efremovi         Kallokibotion bajazidi   Testudines     Platychelys oberndorferi       Caribemys oxfordiensis       Notoemys laticentralis   Pleurodira Chelidae   Elseya dentata     Phyrops geoffroanus     Chelodina siebenrocki     Pelomedusoides   Podocnemis expansa     Pelomedusa subrufa     Erymnochelys madagascariensis                   Dorsetochelys delairi   Paracryptodira Pleurosternidae   Pleurosternon bullockii       Glyptops plicatulus     Dinochelys whitei       Baenidae   Neurankylus eximius       Trinitichelys hiatti       Plesiobaena antiqua       Boremys pulchra       Baena arenosa     Chisternon undatum                 Eucryptodira   Plesiochelys solodurensis     Portlandemys mcdowelli         Solnhofia parsonsi         Thalassemys moseri     Sandownia harrisi       Santanachelys gaffneyi           Xinjiangchelys latimarginalis       Hangaiemys hoburensis         Judithemys sukhavoni       Dracochelys bicuspis       Sinemys lens     Ordosemys leios           See tree below for Cryptodira

Cryptodira

Toxochelys latiremis   Chelonioidea     Mesodermochelys undulatus     Dermochelys coriacea     Cheloniidae   Chelonia mydas     Caretta caretta               Protochelydra zangerli   Chelydridae   Chelydra serpentina     Macrochelys temmincki           Platysternon megacephalum         Mongolemys elegans   Testudinoidea   Gopherus polyphemus       Geoclemys hamiltoni     Chrysemys picta         Trionychoidea     Emarginachelys cretacea   Kinosternoidea     Baptemys wyomingensis     Dermatemys mawii         Hoplochelys crassa       Staurotypus triporcatus       Sternotherus odoratus     Kinosternon scorpioides             Pantrionychia Adocidae   Adocus beati       Basilemys variolosa     Zangerlia neimongolensis           Peltochelys durlstonensis   Trionychia Pancarettochelyidae   Pseudanosteria pulchra     Carettochelys insculpta     Trionychidae   Lisemys punctata     Apalone ferox

See also

Wikipedia category tree of Testudines taxonomy

Testudines

Cryptodira

Pleurodira