unknown turtle species

[cris]

About 12 years ago i found a turtle in Canungra Creek(gold coast hinterland). It definately wasnt a emydura macquarii(short neck) or a saw shell it actually resembled a something like a Rheodytes sp. like the Fitzroy river turtle.
I found it floating dead and although i was only young at the time its was clear that it wasnt a turtle commonly known in that area and i havnt ever seen anything in any books about it.
Just wondering if any species have been discovered in that area that it could be?
If not i reckon someone should try and find some and give them a name and stuff.
Its carapace length would have been approx. 220-250mm

 

[Gecko_ProCs]

it may be an exotic escapee

 

[cris]

it may be an exotic escapee

I dont think so at the time i though someone might have released a fitzroy turtle, but i figure it would be extremely unlikely that that would be the case either.
Im sure there are alot of exotic species i havnt seen but no exotic species i have seen even slightly resemble it.
I personally think it was a Rheodytes sp.

 

[cris]

It looked just like the turtle in the AFTCRA banner that you see on this site, There arnt to many other turtles that look like that to get confused with as far as i know.

 

[cam]

MACROCHELODINA RUGOSA????? i have one atm they get pretty big

 

[peterescue]

The carapace isnt a good indicator of species as it grows differently under different conditions. The shell on the nacquarii ssp varies graetly from ssp to ssp and locality to locality. You really nee to check the features on the rest of the turtle for an ID as well as the plastron.
The head on Rheodytes leukops is a real give away. It may have been an Elseya latisternum/saw shell turtle..

ps Rheodytes is a monotypic genus.

 

[cris]

The head on Rheodytes leukops is a real give away. It may have been an Elseya latisternum/saw shell turtle..

ps Rheodytes is a monotypic genus.

yes i know it is considered to be, but as you say the head is a dead give away thats why i think it possibly belongs to this genus, possibly even the same speices but i wouldnt know. A saw shell looks alot differant and i had seen plenty of them before, as I said above it definately wasnt one of those.

 

[peterescue]

It cannot belong to the genus as the genus has only one species. The Fitzroy River Turtle. I am very confidant in saying it would not be that species. . As it was dead there was probably some bloating and disfiguring.
You haven't actially put forward what features lead you to the conclusion that its is that.
Having said that strange things crop up in strange places so you cannot discount 100% anything. I found a dead water python on the road to Seal Rocks a couple of years ago.

 

[cris]

You haven't actially put forward what features lead you to the conclusion that its is that.

look at the head of a saw shell, look at the head of a emydura macquarii and then look at a fitzroy river turtle, you dont need to scientifically analyse it to be able to see that they are clearly differant. It simply just looked like a fitzroy river turtle nothing else looks much like like that. I spent a good 10 minutes looking at it too.

As i said above it would be possible someone had it captive and released it i just thought that would be unlikely. I would consider the chance of one not being seen by a herpetologist before more likely myself. I dont know if I should mention again it wasnt a saw shell or Emydura Macquarii I had seen heaps of them before, would you mistake a fitzroy river turtle for a saw shell?

15 years ago there would have been heaps of undescribed turtles that we now know about. I think there are probably a still a number left to be described.

 

[cris]

bump

 

[hornet]

it only has one described sp, there could be other undescribed species, no1 knows for sure yet

 

[Magpie]

Why are you bumping it? What is it you want people to say or do?

 

[nathanbrisvegas]

i reckon the way that turtles bloat when dead and get a little disfigured the head of a saw shell could easily look like one of a fitzroy

 

[cris]

Why are you bumping it?

I was wondering if some one might have some idea what it could be or has seen something similar themselves.

What is it you want people to say or do?

I would like someone to find this type of turtle(if it did come from that area originally) work out what it is and work out if its endangered or whatever and have appropriate action taken to protect it if required. That and I want a medal for finding a dead turtle(not that i saw it first anyway).

 

[instarnett]

probly E.Ex mortis quite common.

 

[cris]

probly E.Ex mortis quite common.

lol the old mortis tortoise, nah it was actually still all floppy.

 

[peterescue]

Elseya albagula, bit far south but who knows. If it was released by some good intentioned person it could be anything. The head on the Rheodytes while distinctive in its mature form isnt that much differnt to a lot of other turtles when younger.
Just goes to show though that the road of good intentions is paved with dead turtles.