African helmeted turtle

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African helmeted turtle
Photographed in Uganda
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Pleurodira
Family:	Pelomedusidae
Genus:	Pelomedusa Wagler, 1830
Species:	P. subrufa
Binomial name
Pelomedusa subrufa (Lacépède, 1788)
Synonyms[1]
? Testudo planitia Meuschen, 1778 Testudo subrufa Lacépède, 1788 Testudo galeata Schoepff, 1792 Testudo badia Donndorff, 1798 Testudo rubicunda Suckow, 1798 Emys galeata — Schweigger, 1812 Emys olivacea Schweigger, 1812 Emys subrufa — Schweigger, 1812 Hydraspis galeata — Bell, 1828 Pelomedusa galeata — Wagler, 1830 Pelomedusa subrufa — Wagler, 1830 Chelys (Hydraspis) subrufa — Gray, 1831 Hydraspis subrufa — Gray, 1831 Pentonyx capensis A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Pentonyx galeata — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Emys (Emys) capensis — Fitzinger, 1835 Hydraspis (Pelomedusa) galeata — Fitzinger, 1835 Hydraspis (Pelomedusa) olivacea — Fitzinger, 1835 Hydraspis (Pelomedusa) planitia — Fitzinger, 1835 Pentonyx gehafie Rüppell, 1835 Pelomedusa gehafiae [sic] Gray, 1844 (ex errore) Pentonyx americana Cornalia, 1849 Pelomedusa mossambicensis W. Peters, 1856 (nomen nudum) Pelomedusa mozambica W. Peters, 1856 (nomen nudum) Pelomedusa nigra Gray, 1863 Pelomedusa gasconi Rochebrune, 1884 Pelomedusa galeata damarensis Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata devilliersi Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata galeata — Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata nigra — Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata orangensis Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata subrufa — Hewitt, 1935 Pelomedusa galeata gehafie — Parker, 1936 Pelomedusa subrufa subrufa — Mertens, 1937 Pelomedusa subrufa damarensis — Mertens, 1937 Pelomedusa subrufa gehafie — Mertens, 1937 Pelomedusa subrufa wettsteini Mertens, 1937 Pelomedusa subrufa orangensis — Hewitt, 1937 Pelomedusa subrufa olivacea — Loveridge, 1941 Pelomedusa subrufa damaranus [sic] Heck, 1955 (ex errore) Pelomedusa subrufa nigra — Bour, 1986

The African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also known commonly as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae. The species naturally occurs in fresh and stagnant water bodies throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in southern Yemen.