- Nilssonia (genus)
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Nilssonia Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida (paraphyletic) Subclass: Anapsida Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Trionychia Family: Trionychidae Subfamily: Trionychinae Genus: Nilssonia Species 1-5, see text
Synonyms See text
Nilssonia is a genus of softshell turtles (family Trionychidae). In many treatments, it is monotypic, with the single species Burmese Peacock Softshell (N. formosa). However, the supposed other genus of peacock softshells, Aspideretes, is even closer related to N. formosa than was previously believed. They differ only in the neural plates between the first pleural scale pair of the bony carapace, which are fused into one in N. formosa and unfused in the others.[1]
Thus, it has been proposed to unite the two genera under the older name, Nilssonia. As it seems, the closest living relatives of the Burmese peacock softshell are the Ganges Soft-shelled Turtle (A./N. gangeticus) and the Nagpur Soft-shelled Turtle (A./N. leithii), making the merging of the genera well warranted.[1]
Species
If the genera are united there are five species:
- Burmese softshell turtle Nilssonia formosa (Gray, 1869)
- Ganges softshell turtle Nilssonia gangetica (Cuvier, 1825)
- Peacock softshell turtle Nilssonia hurum (Gray, 1831)
- Nagpur softshell turtle Nilssonia leithii (Gray, 1872)
- Black softshell turtle Nilssonia nigricans (Anderson, 1875)
Footnotes
References
- Praschag, P.; Hundsdörfer, A.K.; Reza, A.H.M.A. & Fritz, U. (2007): Genetic evidence for wild-living Aspideretes nigricans and a molecular phylogeny of South Asian softshell turtles (Reptilia: Trionychidae: Aspideretes, Nilssonia). Zool. Scripta 36(4): 301–310. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2007.00282.x (HTML abstract)
Trionychidae family of turtles Genus Species of the Cyclanorbinae subfamily
Cyclanorbis Cycloderma Aubry's flapshell turtle · Zambezi flapshell turtleLissemys Burmese flapshell turtle · Indian flapshell turtleSpecies of the Trionychinae subfamilyAmyda Apalone Chitra Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle · Burmese narrow-headed softshell turtle · Indian narrow-headed softshell turtleDogania Nilssonia Black softshell turtle · Burmese peacock softshell · Ganges softshell turtle · Indian peacock softshell turtle · Leith's softshell turtlePalea Wattle-necked softshell turtlePelochelys Cantor's giant softshell turtle · New Guinea giant softshell turtle · Northern New Guinea giant softshell turtlePelodiscus Chinese softshell turtle · Hunan softshell turtle · Lesser Chinese softshell turtle · Northern Chinese softshell turtleRafetus Euphrates softshell turtle · Yangtze giant softshell turtleTrionyx African softshell turtlePhylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2010 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status.Order Testudines (turtles) Suborder SuperfamilySubfamily
Cryptodira Chelydra · MacrochelysCaretta · Chelonia · Eretmochelys · Lepidochelys · NatatorDermochelysDermatemydidaeDermatemysStaurotypinaeClaudius · StaurotypusBatagur · Cuora · Cyclemys · Geoclemys · Geoemyda · Hardella · Heosemys · Leucocephalon · Malayemys · Mauremys · Melanochelys · Morenia · Notochelys · Orlitia · Pangshura · Rhinoclemmys · Sacalia · Siebenrockiella · VijayachelysAldabrachelys · Astrochelys · Chelonoidis · Chersina · Cylindraspis · Geochelone · Gopherus · Homopus · Indotestudo · Kinixys · Malacochersus · Manouria · Psammobates · Pyxis · Stigmochelys · TestudoTrionychiaCarettochelyidaeCarettochelysTrionychinaePleurodira ChelidinaeChelodininaeHydromedusinaePelomedusa · PelusiosPhylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2010 update: annotated checklist. Extinct turtles not included.
See also List of Testudines families
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WikiProjectCategories:- Nilssonia
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