Turtle classification

Turtles have been classified in different ways by different authors. While they were previously considered anapsids, they are now considered more derived. Recent analyses of molecular evidence have strongly suggested that they belong in the clade Archosauromorpha (also known as Archelosauria). Below are many of the possible classifications of Testudines and Testudinata:

Thomson and Shaffer, 2010

Below is a cladogram of living testudines found by Thomson and Shaffer in 2010:

Pleurodira Pelomedusoides Pelusios subniger Pelomedusidae Pelusios gabonensis Pelusios williamsi Pelomedusa subrufa Pelusios sinuatus Podocnemididae Peltocephalus dumerilianus Podocnemis unifilis Podocnemis lewyana Podocnemis expansa Erymnochelys madagascariensis Chelidae Chelodininae Chelodina rugosa Chelodina longicollis Chelodina oblonga Pseudemydura umbrina Emydura subglobosa Elseya dentata Elseya latisternum Rheodytes leukops Elusor macrurus Elseya purvisi Elseya georgesi Emydura macquarii Hydromedusa tectifera Chelinae Chelus fimbriata Platemys platycephala Mesoclemmys nasuta Mesoclemmys gibba Acanthochelys radiolata Acanthochelys spixii Acanthochelys pallidipectoris Mesoclemmys hogei Phrynops williamsi Phrynops geoffroanus Phrynops hilarii Trionychia Carettochelys insculpta Trionychidae Cyclanorbinae Lissemys scutata Lissemys punctata Cycloderma frenatum Cycloderma aubryi Cyclanorbis senegalensis Cyclanorbis elegans Trionychinae Trionyx triunguis Pelochelys bibroni Pelochelys cantorii Chitra vandijki Chitra indica Chitra chitra Rafetus euphraticus Apalone mutica Apalone ferox Apalone spinifera Pelodiscus sinensis Pelodiscus axenaria Palea steindachneri Dogania subplana Amyda cartilaginea Nilssonia gangetica Nilssonia formosa Nilssonia hurum See below for Chelydridae, Chelonioidea, Kinosternoidea, Platysternidae, Emydidae, Testudinidae and Geoemydidae

Sterli 2010

Below is a cladogram found by Sterli in 2010 in a phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodira:

Testudinata

†Proganochelys quenstedti Rhaptochelydia †Australochelyidae †Palaeochersis talampayensis †Australochelys africanus †Proterochersis robusta †Kayentachelys aprix †Condorchelys antiqua †Heckerochelys romani †Indochelys spatulata †Mongolochelys efremovi †Meiolaniidae †Meiolania platyceps †Niolamia argentina †Chubutemys copelloi †Kallokibotion bajazidi †Santanachelys gaffneyi †Solnhofia parsonsi †Plesiochelyidae †Portlandemys macdowelli †Plesiochelys solodurensis †Dorsetochelys delairi †Thalassemys moseri Pleurosternidae †Pleurosternon bullocki †Glyptops plicatulus †Dinochelys whitei Baenidae †Neurankylus eximius †Trinitichelys hiatti †Plesiobaena antiqua †Boremys pulchra †Baena arenosa †Chisternon undulatum †Siamochelys peninsularis †Xinjiangchelys latimarginalis Testudines (see below)

Testudines

†Hangaiemys hoburensis †Judithemys sukhanovi †Dracochelys bicuspis †Sinemys lens †Ordosemys leios Chelonioidea †Toxochelys latiremys †Mesodermochelys undulatus Dermochelys coriacea Cheloniidae Caretta caretta Chelonia mydas Testudinoidea Platysternon megacephalum †Mongolemys elegans Emydidae Chrysemys picta Trachemys scripta Geoclemys hamiltonii Testudinidae Gopherus polyphemus Chelonoidis chilensis †Protochelydra zangerli Chelydridae Macroclemys temminckii Chelydra serpentina †Emarginachelys cretacea Kinosternoidea †Baptemys wyomingensis Dermatemys mawii †Hoplochelys crassa Kinosternidae Staurotypus triporcatus Sternotherus odoratus Kinosternon flavescens †Adocus beati †Zangerlia neimongolensis †Basilemys variolosa †Peltochelys durlstoensis †Anosteira ornata Carettochelys insculpta Trionychidae Lissemys punctata Apalone spinifera Pelodiscus sinensis †Sandownia harrisi Pleurodira †Platychelys oberndorferi †Caribemys oxfordiensis †Notoemys laticentralis Chelidae Phrynops geoffroanus Chelus fimbriata Elseya dentata Elseya latisternum Chelodina oblonga Chelodina longicollis Pelomedusoides Pelomedusa subrufa Erymnochelys madagascariensis Podocnemis expansa

Joyce, 2007

Below is a cladogram found by Joyce in 2007 in his publication on turtle phylogeny:

Testudinata

Proganochelys quenstedti Palaeochersis talampayensis Australochelys africanus Proterochersis robusta Kayentachelys aprix Meiolania platyceps Mongolochelys efremovi Kallokibotion bajazidi Testudines Platychelys oberndorferi Caribemys oxfordiensis Notoemys laticentralis Pleurodira Chelidae Elseya dentata Phyrops geoffroanus Chelodina siebenrocki Pelomedusoides Podocnemis expansa Pelomedusa subrufa Erymnochelys madagascariensis Dorsetochelys delairi Paracryptodira Pleurosternidae Pleurosternon bullocki Glyptops plicatulus Dinochelys whitei Baenidae Neurankylus eximius Trinitichelys hiatti Plesiobaena antiqua Boremys pulchra Baena arenosa Chisternon undatum Eucryptodira Plesiochelys solodurensis Portlandemys mcdowelli Solnhofia parsonsi Thalassemys moseri Sandownia harrisi Santanachelys gaffneyi Xinjiangchelys latimarginalis Hangaiemys hoburensis Judithemys sukhavoni Dracochelys bicuspis Sinemys lens Ordosemys leios See below for Cryptodira

Cryptodira

Toxochelys latiremis Chelonioidea Mesodermochelys undulatus Dermochelys coriacea Cheloniidae Chelonia mydas Caretta caretta Protochelydra zangerli Chelydridae Chelydra serpentina Macrochelys temmincki Platysternon megacephalum Mongolemys elegans Testudinoidea Gopherus polyphemus Geoclemys hamiltoni Chrysemys picta Trionychoidea Emarginachelys cretacea Kinosternoidea Baptemys wyomingensis Dermatemys mawii Hoplochelys crassa Staurotypus triporcatus Sternotherus odoratus Kinosternon scorpioides Pantrionychia Adocidae Adocus beati Basilemys variolosa Zangerlia neimongolensis Peltochelys durlstonensis Trionychia Pancarettochelyidae Pseudanosteria pulchra Carettochelys insculpta Trionychidae Lisemys punctata Apalone ferox