FAMILY: Trionychidae Bell 1828, Zool. J. London 3:515.
DISTRIBUTION: North America; Africa; southern and eastern Asia; Philippines and Sumatra to New Guinea.
COMMENT: Based on an extensive review of morphological and paleontological data, Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):1-101, demonstrated the close interfamilial relationship between the Trionychidae, Carettochelydidae, Dermatemydidae, and Kinosternidae, revised the intrafamilial categories, including tribal, generic, and subgeneric listings. See also Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115(6):412-419, and Meylan 1984, Stud. Geol. Salmant. Vol. Esp. 1, Stud. Palaeochel. 1:169-188. Frair 1983, J. Herpet. 17(1):75-79, presented serological data. Nomenclatural history of family discussed by Smith and Smith 1979, Synops. Herpetofauna Mexico Turt. 6:198-200.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
COMMON NAME: Softshell turtles.

SUBFAMILY: Cyclanorbinae Hümmel 1929, Geol. Palaeont. Abh. 16:359-487.
DISTRIBUTION: Africa; India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Burma.
COMMENT: Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):70-71, 88-89, divides the subfamily into two tribes containing five species.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.

Cyclanorbis Gray 1852, Proc. Zool. Soc. London :135.
TYPE SPECIES: Cyclanorbis petersii Gray 1852 (=Cryptopus senegalensis Duméril and Bibron 1835), by monotypy.
DISTRIBUTION: Central Africa.
COMMENT: Genus and species discussed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):88-89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115:436-451.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BJ, CF, CI, ET, GH, GW, ML, NG, SD, SN, TD, TG.
COMMON NAME: West African softshell turtles.

Cyclanorbis elegans (Gray 1869), Proc. Zool. Soc. London :222.
ORIGINAL NAME: Baikiea elegans.
TYPES: 5 Syntypes: BMNH 1946.1.22.15, 1947.3.6.26, 1947.3.6.27, 1947.3.6.28, and 1947.3.6.29; BMNH 1946.1.22.15 designated lectotype by Webb 1975, Herpetologica 31:348.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Africa"; restricted by Webb 1975, Herpetologica 31:349, to the "Niger River drainage in West Africa".
DISTRIBUTION: Across central Africa from Ghana and Nigeria to Sudan.
COMMENT: Tribe Cyclanorbini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115(6):438-443.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BJ, CF, ET, GH, NG, SD, TD, TG.
COMMON NAME: Nubian softshell turtle, Nubian flapshell turtle.

Cyclanorbis senegalensis (Duméril and Bibron 1835), Erpét. Gén. Hist. Nat. Rept. 2:504.
ORIGINAL NAME: Cryptopus senegalensis.
TYPE: Holotype: MNHN 4151.
TYPE LOCALITY: Senegal.
DISTRIBUTION: Across central Africa from Senegal to Sudan.
COMMENT: Tribe Cyclanorbini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):88-89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115(6):443-450.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BJ, CI, GH, GW, ML, NG, SD, SN, TD, TG.
COMMON NAME: Senegal softshell turtle, Senegal flapshell turtle.

Cycloderma Peters 1854, Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin :216.
TYPE SPECIES: Cycloderma frenatum Peters 1854, by monotypy.
DISTRIBUTION: Zaire River basin and east Africa south of Lake Tanganyika.
COMMENT: Tribe Cyclanorbini. Genus and species reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115:451-468.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CF, CG, GA, ML, MZ, MW, TZ, ZR.
COMMON NAME: Central African softshell turtles.

Cycloderma aubryi (Duméril 1856), Rev. Mag. Zool. Paris (2)8:374.
ORIGINAL NAME: Cryptopus aubryi.
TYPE: Holotype: MNHN 8006.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Gabon".
DISTRIBUTION: Central west Africa; Central African Republic to Zaire, Gabon, and northern Angola.
COMMENT: Tribe Cyclanorbini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115(6):453-459.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CF, CG, GA, ZR.
COMMON NAME: West African flapshell turtle, Aubry's softshell turtle, Aubry's flapshell turtle.

Cycloderma frenatum Peters 1854, Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin :216.
TYPES: 6 Syntypes: ZMB 47, 49, 50, 4815, 8243, 8432.
TYPE LOCALITY: "im fluminibus Zambeze et Licuare. . .Tette et Sena. . .in terra Boror," Zambezi River, Mozambique.
DISTRIBUTION: Shire and lower Zambezi river drainages, from Lake Nyasa and the Kilombera and Rufiji rivers in Tanzania through Malawi to Mozambique.
COMMENT: Tribe Cyclanorbini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115(6):459-468.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: ML, MZ, TZ.
COMMON NAME: Zambezi softshell turtle, Zambezi mud turtle, Zambezi flapshell turtle, Mozambique flapshell turtle.

Lissemys Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:154.
TYPE SPECIES: T[estudo] punctata Lacépède 1788, by monotypy.
DISTRIBUTION: Pakistan through India to Sri Lanka and Burma.
COMMENT: Tribe Lissemydini. Lissemys is a replacement name for Emyda Gray 1831, In: Griffith and Pidgeon, Anim. Kingd. Cuvier 9:19, and Cryptopus Duméril and Bibron 1835, Erpét. Gén. Hist. Nat. Rept. 2:499, both of which are preoccupied. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89. See also Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:154-160.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, IN, LK, NP, PK.
COMMON NAME: Flapshell turtles.

Image of Indian flapshell tortoise
Lissemys punctata punctata (Lacépède 1788). Illustration by Urs Woy.
Copyright © 1989, 1997 Association of Systematics Collections.

Lissemys punctata (Lacépède 1788), Hist. Nat. Quadrup. Ovip. Serp. :171.
ORIGINAL NAME: Testudo punctata.
TYPE: Holotype: MNHN 7978.
TYPE LOCALITY: "des grandes Indes"; restricted to "Pondicherry, Coromandel Coast, India" by Webb 1980, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. Paris (4)2:553.
DISTRIBUTION: Pakistan to western Burma and Sri Lanka.
COMMENT: Tribe Lissemydini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, Webb 1980, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. Paris (4)2:547-557, and Webb 1982, Amph. Rept. 3:179-184. Webb 1982, Amph. Rept. 3:179-184, elevated Lissemys scutata from synonymy with Lissemys punctata, but Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):89, again synonymized it with L. punctata. Two subspecies are recognized:

Lissemys punctata granosa (Schoepf 1801), Hist. Testud. :127. Original Name: Testudo granosa. Type: Untraced. Type Locality: Coromandel coast, India. Geographic Code: IN, LK.

Lissemys punctata punctata (Lacépède 1788), Hist. Nat. Quadrup. Ovip. Serp. :171. Original Name: Testudo punctata. Type: Holotype: MNHN 7978. Type Locality: As for the species. Geographic Code: BD, BU, IN, NP, PK.

CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: CITES: Lissemys punctata punctata listed on Appendix I. See Honegger 1982, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.004.001:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, IN, LK, NP, PK.
COMMON NAME: Indian flapshell turtle, Indo-Gangetic flapshell turtle.

SUBFAMILY: Trionychinae Lydekker 1889, Cat. Foss. Rept. Amph. British Mus. 3:4.
DISTRIBUTION: Coextensive with the family, except for Sri Lanka.
COMMENT: Four tribes recognized by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):71-74, 89-94, who reviewed and revised the subfamily. Nomenclatural history and content discussed by Smith and Smith 1979, Synops. Herpetofauna Mexico Turt. 6:201.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.

Amyda Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1809, Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 14:15.
TYPE SPECIES: Testudo cartilaginea Boddaert 1770, Testud. Cartilag. (letter to W. Roell).
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90.
CONTRIBUTOR: P. Meylan.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU, ID, KH, LA, MY, TH, VN.
COMMON NAME: Asian softshell turtle, Black-rayed softshell turtle.

Amyda cartilaginea (Boddaert 1770), Testud. Cartilaginea (letter to W. Roell).
ORIGINAL NAME: Testudo cartilaginea.
TYPE: Holotype: MNHN 4150.
TYPE LOCALITY: Unknown; designated as "Java" by Baur 1893, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 31:220.
DISTRIBUTION: Southern Burma to Vietnam, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Though Boddaert 1770, Testud. Cartilaginea (letter to W. Roell) used binomial nomenclature inconsistently, Bour and Dubois 1983, J. Herpet. 17(4):359-360, argue for validation of Testudo cartilaginea as of Boddaert 1770. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90. See also Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:174-175; Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:205-207; and Taylor 1970, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 49:148-149.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU, ID, KH, LA, MY, TH, VN.
COMMON NAME: Asian softshell turtle, Black-rayed softshell turtle.

Apalone Rafinesque 1832, Atl. J. Friend Knowl. Philadelphia 1(2):64.
TYPE SPECIES: Apalone spiniferus (LeSueur 1827, Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 15:258).
DISTRIBUTION: From southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada, through the U.S.A., to Chihuahua and Tamaulipas, Mexico.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91-92, recognized 2 subgenera and 3 species.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CA, MX, US.

Apalone ferox (Schneider 1783), Allgem. Naturgesch. Schildkr.: 330.
ORIGINAL NAME: T. ferox [=Testudo ferox].
TYPE: Holotype: BMNH 1947.3.6.17 (formerly 53A).
TYPE LOCALITY: Unspecified; although Garden 1772, In: Pennant, Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. London 61:266-273, states the turtle was common in the "Savannah and Altamaha rivers, and. . .rivers in east Florida," U.S.A. Boulenger 1889, Cat. Chel. Rhynch. Croc. British Mus. :259, restricted it to "Georgia". Baur 1893, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 31: 210-225, further restricted it to "Savannah river, Ga." Neill 1951, Publ. Res. Div. Ross Allen's Rept. Instit. 1(2):17, believing the species did not occur in the Savannah River, shifted the type locality to "East Florida." Schwartz 1956, Charleston Mus. Leaflet 26:8, reestablished it at the "Savannah River," Georgia.
DISTRIBUTION: U.S.A., southern South Carolina through peninsular Florida to southern Alabama.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92, and placed in subgenus Platypeltis. See Trionyx ferox in Webb 1962, Univ. Kansas Pub. Mus. Nat. Hist. 13(10):429-611; and Webb 1973, Cat. Am. Amph. Rept. 138:1-3.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: US.
COMMON NAME: Florida softshell turtle.

Apalone mutica LeSueur 1827, Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 15:263.
TYPES: 5 Syntypes: MNHN 564, 4143, 7977, 8813 (=former 787), and 8814 (=former 788); MNHN 8813 designated lectotype by Webb 1962, Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 13(10):534, 536.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Newharmony, sur le Wabash" (=New Harmony, Wabash River), Posey County, Indiana, U.S.A.
DISTRIBUTION: Central U.S.A.; North Dakota to western Pennsylvania and south to northeastern New Mexico, eastern Texas, and Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92, and placed in subgenus Apalone. See also (under Trionyx muticus) Webb 1962, Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 13(10):531-540; and Webb 1973, Cat. Am. Amph. Rept. 139:1-2.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: US.
COMMON NAME: Smooth softshell turtle.

Apalone spinifera LeSueur 1827, Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 15:258.
TYPES: 8 Syntypes: MNHN 1949, 6957, 8807, 8808, 8809, 8810, 8811, 8812; MNHN 8808 designated lectotype by Webb 1962, Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 13(10):491.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Newharmony, sur le Wabash" (=New Harmony, Wabash River), Posey County, Indiana, U.S.A.
DISTRIBUTION: Southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada, through the eastern and central U.S.A. to Chihuahua and Tamaulipas, Mexico; introduced into lower Colorado river drainage, and numerous California locations.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92, and placed in subgenus Apalone. See also (as Trionyx spiniferus) Webb 1973, Cat. Am. Amph. Rept. 140:1-4, and Smith and Smith 1979, Synops. Herpetofauna Mexico Turt. 6:220. The latter showed that Trionyx ater Webb and Legler 1960, Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist. 40:21, is synonymous with Trionyx spiniferus. Trionyx ater is reviewed by Webb 1973, Cat. Am. Amph. Rept. 137:1.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: The synonym Trionyx ater (see comment above) is listed on CITES: Appendix I; and on the U.S.A. Endangered Species Act: is listed as Endangered. See Honegger 1982, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.006.001:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CA, MX, US.
COMMON NAME: Spiny softshell turtle.

Aspideretes Hay 1904, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 42: 268-274.
ORIGINAL NAME: Aspideretes gangeticus (Cuvier 1825), Rech. Oss. Foss. Quadrop., ed. 3, (5)2:186, 203.
DISTRIBUTION: From Pakistan across peninsular India to Bangladesh.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: AF, BD, IN, NP, PK.

Image of Indian softshell turtle
Aspideretes gangeticus (Cuvier 1825). Illustration by Urs Woy.
Copyright © 1989, 1997 Association of Systematics Collections.

Aspideretes gangeticus (Cuvier 1825), Rech. Oss. Foss. Quadrop., ed. 3, (5)2:186, 203.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx gangeticus.
TYPES: 4 Syntypes: MNHN 4148, 9387, 1887-838, A5226 (=1866-751).
TYPE LOCALITY: "du Gange," (=Ganges River), India.
DISTRIBUTION: Pakistan, and possibly eastern Afghanistan, through southern Nepal and northern India to Bangladesh, in the Indus, Ganges, and Mahanadi drainages.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92. See also (as Trionyx gangeticus) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:167-168, and Minton 1966, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 134:27-184.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: CITES: Appendix I (as Trionyx gangeticus); U.S.A. Endangered Species Act: Endangered (as Trionyx gangeticus). See Honegger 1982, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.006.006:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: AF, BD, IN, NP, PK.
COMMON NAME: Indian softshell turtle, Ganges softshell turtle.

Image of peacock softshell turtle
Aspideretes hurum (Gray 1831). Illustration by Urs Woy.
Copyright © 1989, 1997 Association of Systematics Collections.

Aspideretes hurum (Gray 1831), In: Griffith and Pidgeon, Anim. Kingd. Cuvier 9:18.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx hurum.
TYPES: Plate 66, in Gray 1835, Illustr. Indian Zool. vol. 2, Pt. 19-20.
TYPE LOCALITY: "India"; restricted by Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:171 to "Fatehgarh, Ganges," India; restricted by Webb 1980, Amph. Rept. 1:71, to "Barrackpore (about 23 kilometers north Calcutta), West Bengal, India".
DISTRIBUTION: India and Bangladesh in the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, and Pakistan in the Indus river drainage.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):92-93. See also Webb 1980, Amph.-Rept. 1:61-74; and (under Trionyx hurum) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:171-173, Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:203-204, and Mertens 1979, Stuttgart Beitr. Naturk. 197:21.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: CITES: Appendix I (as Trionyx hurum); U.S.A. Endangered Species Act: Endangered (as Trionyx hurum). See Honegger 1980, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.006.007:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, IN, NP, PK.
COMMON NAME: Peacock softshell turtle.

Aspideretes leithii (Gray 1872), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4)10:334.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx leithii.
TYPES: 2 Syntypes: BMNH 1947.3.4.15 and 1947.3.6.7.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Poonah," India.
DISTRIBUTION: Peninsular India.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93. See (under Trionyx leithii) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:170. Previous reports of occurrence in the Ganges river drainage are in error.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: IN.
COMMON NAME: Nagpur softshell turtle, Leith's softshell turtle.

Aspideretes nigricans (Anderson 1875), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4)16:284.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx nigricans.
TYPES: 2 Syntypes: ZSI 664 and 1898.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Tanks at Chittagong, Bengal" (=Bangladesh).
DISTRIBUTION: Bangladesh, known only from the type locality, the single enclosed pond at the Islamic Saint Byazid Bostami shrine at Nasirabad near Chittagong.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93. See also (under Trionyx nigricans) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:168-170, and Khan 1980, Hornbill (4):7-11.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: CITES: Appendix I (under Trionyx nigricans); U.S.A. Endangered Species Act: Endangered (under Trionyx nigricans). Evaluated (under Trionyx nigricans) by Groombridge 1982, IUCN Amph. Rept. Red Data Book, Pt.1:247-248, and listed as Rare. See Honegger 1982, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.006.010:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD.
COMMON NAME: Black softshell turtle, Bostami softshell turtle, Chittagong softshell turtle, Dark shoftshell turtle.

Chitra Gray 1844, Cat. Tort. Croc. Amphisb. British Mus. :49.
TYPE SPECIES: Trionyx indicus Gray 1831, by monotypy.
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, IN, NP, PK, TH.

Chitra indica (Gray 1831), In: Griffith and Pidgeon, Anim. Kingd. Cuvier 9:18.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx indicus.
TYPE: Plate 80, in Gray 1831, Illustr. Indian Zool. Vol. 1.
TYPE LOCALITY: "India, fl. Ganges, Penang"; first restricted by Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:162, to "Fatehgarh, Ganges," India.
DISTRIBUTION: Indus River drainage, Pakistan through India to western Thailand.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90; Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:162-164; Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:198-199; Taylor 1970, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 49:152-153; and Webb 1980, Amphibia-Reptilia 1:61-74.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, IN, NP, PK, TH.
COMMON NAME: Narrow-headed softshell turtle, Short-headed softshell turtle, River softshell turtle, Asian softshell turtle.

Dogania Gray 1844, Cat. Tort. Croc. Amphisb. British Mus. :49.
TYPE SPECIES: Trionyx subplanus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1809, Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 14:11.
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):94.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU, ID, MY, TH.
COMMON NAME: Malayan softshell turtle, Red-cheek softshell turtle.

Dogania subplana (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1809), Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 14:11.
TYPE: Holotype: MNHN 5182.
TYPE LOCALITY: Unknown.
DISTRIBUTION: Southern Burma and Thailand to the Malaysian and Indonesian islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):94. See also Taylor 1970, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 49:153-155; and (under Trionyx subplanus) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:164-165; and Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:200-201.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU, ID, MY, TH.
COMMON NAME: Malayan softshell turtle, Red-cheek softshell turtle.

Nilssonia Gray 1872, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4)10:332-334.
TYPE SPECIES: Nilssonia formosa Gray 1869
DISTRIBUTION: As for single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Aspideretini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU.
COMMON NAME: Burmese softshell turtle, Burmese peacock softshell turtle.

Nilssonia formosa Gray 1869, Proc. Zool. Soc. London :217.
TYPE: Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.22.11.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Pegu," Burma.
DISTRIBUTION: Burma; Irawaddy, Sittang, and Salween river drainages.
COMMENT: Tribe Aspideretini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93. See also (as Trionyx formosus) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:173, and Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:204-205.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BU.
COMMON NAME: Burmese softshell turtle, Burmese peacock softshell turtle.

Palea Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):94.
TYPE SPECIES: Trionyx steindachneri Siebenrock 1906, Zool. Anz. Leipzig 30:579.
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):94.
CONTRIBUTOR: P. Meylan.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN, MU, US, VN.
COMMON NAME: Spiny-necked softshell turtle, Wattle-necked softshell turtle.

Palea steindachneri (Siebenrock 1906), Zool. Anz. Leipzig 30:579.
TYPE: Holotype: NMW 20373.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Kau-Kongriver," Hainan Island, People's Republic of China.
DISTRIBUTION: Southeastern People's Republic of China and northern Vietnam; introduced into Hawaii, U.S.A., and Mauritius Island.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):94. See also (under Amyda steindachneri) Pope 1935, Nat. Hist. Cent. Asia, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 10:63-64; and (under Trionyx steindachneri) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:178-179; McKeown and Webb 1982, J. Herpet. 16(2):107-111; and Bour 1985, Madagascar Rechr. Sci. 18:54-80.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN, MU, US, VN.
COMMON NAME: Spiny-necked softshell turtle, Wattle-necked softshell turtle.

Pelochelys Gray 1864, Proc. Zool. Soc. London :89.
TYPE SPECIES: Pelochelys cantorii Gray 1864 (=Trionyx bibroni Owen 1853), by subsequent designation of Günther 1865 [1864], Rept. Zool. Rec. :108.
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, CN, ID, IN, MY, PG, PH, TH, VN.

Pelochelys bibroni (Owen 1853), Cat. Osteol. Ser. Mus. Roy. Coll. Surg. 1:185.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx (Gymnopus) Bibroni.
TYPE: Holotype: RCSM skeletal parts 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, and 959.
TYPE LOCALITY: "Australia" (probably in error).
DISTRIBUTION: Tamil Nadu Province, India, extreme eastern India to southeastern China, Hainan Island, the Philippines, Malayan Archipelago, and New Guinea.
COMMENT: Tribe Chitrini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):90. See also Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:160-162; Pope 1935, Nat. Hist. Cent. Asia, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 49:149-152; and Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:197-198.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: BD, BU, CN, ID, IN, MY, PG, PH, TH, VN.
COMMON NAME: Antipa turtle, Blunt-headed giant softshell turtle, Asian giant softshell turtle.

Pelodiscus Fitzinger 1835, Ann. Wien. Mus. Naturgesch. 1:120, 127.
TYPE SPECIES: Trionyx (Aspidonectes) sinensis (Wiegmann 1835), Nova Acta Phys. Med. Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. 17:189.
DISTRIBUTION: As for single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. In his review, Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93, incorrectly attributed Pelodiscus to Gray 1844, Cat. Tort. Croc. Amphisb. British Mus. :7-49.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN, JP, KP, KR, SU, TW, US.
COMMON NAME: Chinese softshell turtle.

Pelodiscus sinensis (Wiegmann 1835), Nova Acta Acad. Caes. Leop. Carol. 17:189.
ORIGINAL NAME: Trionyx (Aspidonectes) sinensis.
TYPES: 3 Syntypes: ZMB 38, 39 extant, and ZMB 37 lost.
TYPE LOCALITY: "kleinen Insel in Tigerfluss, dicht bei Macao" (=small island in the Tiger River near Macao), China.
DISTRIBUTION: People's Republic of China (from Manchuria to Hainan) to northern Vietnam; Taiwan; Korea; Japan; extreme southeastern U.S.S.R.; introduced into Hawaii, U.S.A.
COMMENT: Tribe Pelodiscini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):93. See also (under Trionyx sinensis) Smith 1931, Fauna British India Rept. Amph. 1:176-178; Pope 1935, Nat. Hist. Cent. Asia, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 10:59-63 (as Amyda sinensis); Bourret 1941, Tort. Indochine 38:207-211; and Ernst and Barbour 1972, Turt. United States :270-272. Webb 1985, Herpetologica 41(1):84-88, demonstrated that the type of Testudo rostrata (=Trionyx rostrata) is a senior synonym of Trionyx sinensis, but suggested that the latter name, which has already been conserved once by previous Intl. Comm. Zool. Nomen. decision (see China 1963, Bull. Zool. Nomen. 20:187-190), should be conserved as a nomen veneratum.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: Bannikov 1978, In: Borodin, U.S.S.R. Red Data Book :159, listed the Russian population (under Trionyx sinensis) as rare and rapidly diminishing in numbers.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN, JP, KP, KR, SU, TW, US.
COMMON NAME: Chinese softshell turtle.

Rafetus Gray 1864, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond.:81.
ORIGINAL NAME: Testudo euphratica.
TYPE LOCALITY: Shores of the Euphrates.
DISTRIBUTION: People's Republic of China; and eastern Turkey to southeastern Iraq and southwestern Iran.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN, IQ, IR, SY, TR.
COMMON NAME: Euphrates softshell turtle.

Rafetus euphraticus (Daudin 1801 [1802]), Hist. Nat. Gén. Part. Rept. 2:305.
ORIGINAL NAME: Testudo euphratica.
TYPE: Not located.
TYPE LOCALITY: "dans le Tigre et l'Euphrate."
DISTRIBUTION: Tigris-Euphrates river drainages from eastern Turkey to southeastern Iraq and southwestern Iran.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: IQ, IR, SY, TR.
COMMON NAME: Euphrates softshell turtle.

Rafetus swinhoei (Gray 1873), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4)12:157.
ORIGINAL NAME: Oscaria swinhoei.
TYPE: Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.22.9 (formerly 73.7.30.125) and its skull, numbered separately as BMNH 1947.3.6.13.
TYPE LOCALITY: Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
DISTRIBUTION: Shanghai River and Tai Hu lake, vicinity of Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91. Because of its unique skeletal morphology, Meylan and Webb 1987, J. Herpet. 22(1):118-119, removed Rafetus swinhoei (as Trionyx swinhoei) from the synonymy of Trionyx sinensis.
CONTRIBUTOR: P. Meylan.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: CN.
COMMON NAME: Shanghai softshell, Swinhoe's softshell.

Trionyx Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1809, Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 14:3,4.
TYPE SPECIES: Trionyx triunguis Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1809 (=Testudo triunguis Forskål 1775, by designation of Bory de Saint-Vincent 1828, Résumé Erpét. Hist. Nat. Rept. :77).
DISTRIBUTION: As for the single species.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91. Generic synonymy, diagnosis, and content (including subgenera) and type-species designation discussed by Smith and Smith 1979, Synops. Herpetofauna Mexico Turt. 6:202-212.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: AO, BJ, CD, CF, CG, CI, CM, EG, ET, GA, GH, GQ, GW, IL, KE, LB, LR, MR, NE, NG, SD, SL, SN, SO, SY, TD, TG, TR, UG, ZR.
COMMON NAME:African softshell turtle.

Image of African softshell turtle
Trionyx triunguis (Forskål 1775). Illustration by Urs Woy.
Copyright © 1989, 1997 Association of Systematics Collections.

Trionyx triunguis (Forskål 1775), Descr. Anim. Avium. Amph. :ix.
ORIGINAL NAME: Testudo triunguis.
TYPE: Not located.
TYPE LOCALITY: Nile River.
DISTRIBUTION: Africa, from Mauritania and northern Namibia to Somalia and Egypt, and along the Mediterranean coast to Turkey.
COMMENT: Tribe Trionychini. Reviewed by Meylan 1987, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 186(1):91, and Loveridge and Williams 1957, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 115:423-435.
CONTRIBUTOR: R. Webb.
REVIEWER: P. Meylan.
STATUS: See Honegger 1982, In: Dollinger, CITES Ident. Manual 3: A-301.012.006.015:1-2.
GEOGRAPHIC CODE: AO, BJ, CD, CG, CI, CM, CF, EG, ET, GA, GH, GQ, GW, IL, KE, LB, LR, MR, NA, NE, NG, SD, SL, SN, SO, SY, TD, TG, TR, UG, ZR.
COMMON NAME: African softshell turtle, Nile softshell turtle, Trionyx du Nil.

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