Pelomedusidae

Starr breast Pelomeduse ( Pelomedusa subrufa )

The Pelomedusenschildkröten ( Pelomedusidae ) are a family living in freshwater turtles from the eastern and southern Africa. The usually round tank reaches a length of 12-45 centimeters. Pelomedusenschildkröten are unable perpendicular to collect her head to the tank opening in an S- shaped curve. Instead, they tilt their heads when feeding by means of a horizontal S-shaped movement laterally under the tank and therefore belong to the neck turner turtles ( Pleurodira ).

The family contains only two genera. They differ by a hinge in the front part of the plastron from their nearest relatives.

Pelomedusenschildkröten spend most of their time on the bottom of rivers or shallow lakes, partially buried. The dry season spend many types buried in the mud. They feed on invertebrates, such as insects, molluscs and worms.

System

The related family Podocnemididae is regarded either as a separate family or subfamily of Pelomedusenschildkröten. In the latter case, the African Pelomedusenschildkröten to the subfamily Pelomedusinae be.

Genera and species

• Genus Pelomedusa Wagler, 1830 Starr breast Pelomeduse ( Pelomedusa subrufa ) Bonnaterre 1789

• White breast Pelomeduse ( Pelusios adansonii ) Schweigger 1812
• Okavango Pelomeduse ( Pelusios bechuanicus ) Fitzsimons 1932
• Pelusios broadleyi Bour 1986
• Pelusios carinatus Laurent 1956
• Pelusios castaneus Schweigger 1812
• Pelusios castanoides Hewitt 1931
• Pelusios chapini Laurent 1965
• Pelusios Cupulatta Bour & Maran 2003
• Ridge stripe Pelomeduse ( Pelusios gabonensis ) Dumeril 1856
• Pelusios marani Bour 2000
• Pelusios nanus Laurent 1956
• Black Pelomeduse ( Pelusios niger) Dumeril & Bibron 1835
• Pelusios rhodesianus Hewitt 1927
• Denticulate Pelomeduse ( Pelusios sinuatus ) Smith 1838
• Dark Pelomeduse ( Pelusios subniger ) Lacepede 1789
• Pelusios upembae Broadley 1981
• Pelusios williamsi Laurent 1965

• Posadachelys cerropueblensis † ( General Cepeda turtle)