Pleurodira

The pleurodires ( will pleurodira ) is one of tortoise S of the southern hemisphere which are identified by their manner of turning their neck to return the head in their carapace and of the relation between the basin and the carapace.

These tortoises must fold their neck on the side, forming an S horizontal, rather than to fold up it in the vertical plan in their carapace, directly under the spinal column as the representatives of the other sub-order of Testudines do it, the Cryptodires. The operation of the jaws also differentiates the two sub-orders.

Distribution

Among the alive families one finds the Chelidae in South America, Australia and New Guinea. The species of the super-family of the Pelomedusoidea meet on the unintermitting African and in North America. This distribution, and that of the fossils of this sub-order is explained by the Continental drift.

Systematic

Cryptodires evolved mainly to the end of the Jurassic , and almost completely replaced Pleurodires in the lakes and the rivers.

Classification presented here is that of Maylan & Ganko (1997) and Lapparent de Broin (2000). --O Casichelydia |--O Cryptodira Dumeril & Bibron, 1835 `--O Pleurodira `--O… |--O Chelidae | |--O Chelodininae | `--O | |--O Hydromedusinae | `--O Chelidinae `--O Pelomedusoides Cope, 1868 |--O † Araripemydidae Price, 1973 `--O Pelomedusoidea Cope, 1868 |--O Eusarkiidae |--O Pelomedusidae `--O Podocnemoidea Cope, 1868 |--O † Bothremydidae Baur, 1891 `--O Podocnemidae Cope, 1868 `--O… |-- Podocnemis `--O Erymnochelyinae

This sub-order includes/understands the S of tortoise S following:

Podocnemidae
Chelidae
Dortokidae
Eusarkiidae

Propleuridae

Bothremydidae

Pelomedusidae

See too

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