Rafetus
| Rafetus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Rafetus swinhoei in Hanoi, Vietnam | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Trionychidae |
| Subfamily: | Trionychinae |
| Genus: | Rafetus Gray, 1864 |
| Species | |
|
Two or three, see text. | |
Rafetus is a genus of highly endangered softshell turtles in the family Trionychidae. It is a genus of large turtles which are found in freshwater habitats in Asia.
Species[edit]
According to most taxonomists, the genus Rafetus contains the following two species.
- Rafetus euphraticus (Daudin, 1801) – Euphrates softshell turtle
- Rafetus swinhoei (Gray, 1873) – Yangtze giant softshell turtle
A third species, Rafetus leloii Hà, 2000 (synonym R. vietnamensis Le et al., 2010), known commonly as the Hoan Kiem turtle, has been proposed as a species. It is considered a junior synonym of Rafetus swinhoei by most authorities,[1] but some Vietnamese scientists insist the two forms are not identical. The last known individual at Hoan Kiem Lake was found dead on 19 January 2016.
Taxonomy[edit]
Cladogram[edit]
As drawn by Walter G. Joyce, Ariel Revan, Tyler R. Lyson, and Igor G. Danilov (2009)[2]
| Trionychidae |
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Distribution[edit]
- Rafetus euphraticus: had been found at Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Khūzestān Province of Iran. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates it as Endangered.[3]
- Rafetus swinhoei: Only three known living individuals, two in Chinese Zoos and another in Dong Mo, Vietnam. IUCN rates it as critically endangered.[4] Fourth specimen found in Hoan Kiem Lake may be a distinct species.
References[edit]
- ^ Farkas B, Webb RG (2003). "Rafetus leloii Hà Dinh Dúc, 2000 — an invalid species of softshell turtle from Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam (Reptilia, Testudines, Trionychidae)". Zool. Abhandl. (Dresden) 53: 107-112.
- ^ Joyce, Walter G.; Revan, Ariel; Lyson, Tyler R.; Danilov, Igor G. (2009). "Two New Plastomenine Softshell Turtles from the Paleocene of Montana and Wyoming" (PDF). Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History. 50 (2): 307–325. doi:10.3374/014.050.0202.
- ^ European Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group (1996). "Rafetus euphraticus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010. International Union for Conservation of Nature.
- ^ Buhlmann K, Rhodin A, van Dijk PP (Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Red List Authority) (2000). "Rafetus swinhoei ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010. International Union for Conservation of Nature.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links[edit]
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Wikispecies has information related to Rafetus |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rafetus. |
- Gray JE (1864). "Revision of the Species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with Descriptions of some New Species". Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1864: 76-98. (Rafetus, new genus, p. 81).
Trionychidae family | ||||
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| Genera |
|  | ||
| Amyda | ||||
| Apalone | ||||
| †Axestemys | ||||
| Chitra | ||||
| Cyclanorbis | ||||
| Cycloderma | ||||
| Dogania | ||||
| †Gilmoremys | ||||
| †Hutchemys | ||||
| †Khunnuchelys | ||||
| Lissemys | ||||
| Nilssonia | ||||
| †Palaeoamyda | ||||
| Palea | ||||
| Pelochelys | ||||
| Pelodiscus | ||||
| Rafetus | ||||
| Trionyx | ||||
Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=extinct. | ||||
