Phrynops

Phrynops
Phrynops hilarii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Chelidae
Subfamily: Chelinae
Genus: Phrynops
Wagler 1830[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Spatulemys Gray 1872[3]
  • Parahydraspis Wieland 1923[4]

Sometimes called the bearded toadheads but better known by their scientific name of Phrynops this genus of turtles has often been a bit of a dumping ground for the short-necked South American turtles of the family Chelidae.

The genus is widely distributed in South America found in the Orinoco to Amazon and São Francisco to Paraná and adjacent river basins of Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina (Iverson, 1992).[5]

A turtle of the genus Phrynops generally achieves thermoregulation through areal basking. In order to best attain its goal, it tends to increase its basking time during mid-day during the winters to make up for the cold. Other factors such as food intake and reproduction underwater also influence the way it controls the temperature of its body. Although this is the main way it is able to maintain body temperature, food intake and reproduction rates are also influential in the matter.

  1. ^ Wagler, J. (1830). Natürliches System der Amphibien, mit vorangehender Classification der Säugthiere und Vögel. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie. Munich, Stuttgart, and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. vi + 354 pp. + 9 plates. (in German and Latin).
  2. ^ Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (van Dijk, P.P.; Iverson, J.B.; Rhodin, A.G.J.; Shaffer, H.B.; Bour, R.) (2014). Turtles of the World, 7th edition: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status". In: Rhodin, A.G.J.; Pritchard, P.C.H.; van Dijk, P.P.; Saumure, R.A.; Buhlmann, K.A.; Iverson, J.B.; Mittermeier, R.A. (Editors) (2014). "Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group". Chelonian Research Monographs 5 (7): 000.329–479, doi:10.3854/ crm.5.000.checklist.v7.2014.
  3. ^ Gray, J.E. (1872). "On Spatulemys Lasalæ, a new genus of Hydraspidæ from Rio Parana, Corrientes". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Fourth Series 10: 463.
  4. ^ Wieland, George R. (1923). "A new Paraná pleurodiran". American Journal of Science, Series 5, 5: 1–14.
  5. ^ lverson, J.B. (1992). Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World. Richmond, Indiana: Privately Printed. 363 pp.