Northern Snake-necked Turtle, widely distributed across northern Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Lineage: Turtles and Tortoises (TESTUDINES) > Side-necked Turtles (PLEURODIRA) > Austro-American Side-necked Turtles Superfamily (CHELOIDEA) > Austro-American Side-necked Turtles (CHELIDAE) > Australasian Side-necked Turtles Subfamily (CHELODININAE) > Australasian Snake-necked Turtles (Chelodina) > Broad-plastron Snake-necked Turtles Subgenus (Chelodina (Chelydera)) > Northern Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina (Chelydera) rugosa). This path helps place the taxon within its family, genus, or species-level context.
Plate page 60
Chinese Name
皱褶长颈龟
English Name
Northern Snake-necked Turtle
Scientific Name
Chelodina (Chelydera) rugosa
Rank
Species
Plate notes
Chelodina rugosa
Trivia
Sometimes considered a synonym of Chelodina oblonga, but currently recognized as a distinct species.
Overview
Northern Snake-necked Turtle, widely distributed across northern Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Scientific Name
Chelodina rugosa
Ecological Habits
Inhabits freshwater wetlands, rivers, and billabongs. Carnivorous, feeding on fish, frogs, and invertebrates.
Major Threats & Conservation
Currently listed as Least Concern. May be threatened locally by habitat loss and collection for food and trade.
Morphological Characteristics
Maximum straight carapace length (SCL): male 26.8 cm, female 36.0 cm.
Natural Distribution & Conservation Status
Distribution: Australia (Queensland), Indonesia (Papua), Papua New Guinea (Southern). Estimated Indigenous AOO: 242,678 sq km, EOO: 641,077 sq km. IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC) (Behler 1996).
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