Turtles and crocs

General tips:
- Follow TDSD
- Upper shell: plastron, lower shell: carapace
 carapace
plastron
Family Chelidae
- Flattened shell and skull
Family Chelydridae

ON species: Chelydra serpentina

- Beak mouth
- Rough skin and protrusions along dorsal
side of tail
Family Cheloniidae

- Streamlined wide and flattened shell

- Flippers designed for swimming
- All species marine
Family Dermochelyidae
- One species: leatherback sea turtle
Family Trionychidae

- No scutes, skin only covers shell

- Shell flattened

ON species: Apalone spinifera (spiny softshell

turtle)

- smooth spotted shell

- funny long nose
Family Kinosternidae

- Hinged plastron
- Has 11 or fewer epidermal scutes
Family Emydidae

- Lack of mesoplastron (a skeletal component

of shell)
- 11 pairs of marginals
Emydidae (ON species)
Chrysemys picta bellii (western painted turtle) VS
Chrysemys picta marginata (midland painted
turtle)

- No need to distinguish between two

species, just know they’re both painted
turtles
Emydidae ON species cont’d
Graptemys geographica (Northern map turtle)
Emydidae family ON cont’d

Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s turtle)

- Upward curved bottom jaw (looks like cat

mouth)
Family Bataguridae
- Webbed toes
- Pelvic girdles articulate with plastrons
flexibly
Family Testudinidae

- Tortoises (land dwelling)

crocs vs alligators