Kinosternoidea Explained

Kinosternoidea is a superfamily of aquatic turtles, which includes two families: Dermatemydidae, and Kinosternidae.

Kinosternoids are cryptodires, turtles whose necks are able to retract within their shell. Molecular studies suggest they are likely the sister group to the snapping turtles of the family Chelydridae.^[1] They are also omnivorous, oviparous, phosphatic, and actively mobile.^[2]

Classification

See main article: Turtle classification.

• Family Dermatemydidae

• Genus Dermatemys

• Genus Baptemys^[3]
• Family Kinosternidae

• Genus Hoplochelys^[3]

• Subfamily Staurotypinae

• Genus Claudius

• Genus Staurotypus

• Subfamily Kinosterninae

• Genus Kinosternon

• Genus Sternotherus

Past classification

The entirely unrelated big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) was previously included in classification.^[3]

References

Bibliography

• Turtles of the world, 2011 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status . Chelonian Research Monographs . 5 . 2011-12-31 . Rhodin, Anders G.J. . van Dijk, Peter Paul . Inverson, John B. . Shaffer, H. Bradley . Roger, Bour . https://web.archive.org/web/20120131102839/http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v4_2011.pdf . 2012-01-31 . dead .

Notes and References

1. Crawford. Nicholas G.. Parham. James F.. Sellas. Anna B.. Faircloth. Brant C.. Glenn. Travis C.. Papenfuss. Theodore J.. Henderson. James B.. Hansen. Madison H.. Simison. W. Brian. A phylogenomic analysis of turtles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 83. 2015. 250–257. 1055-7903. 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.10.021. 25450099.
2. Web site: Kinosternoidea. 2020-06-27. www.mindat.org.
3. Walter G. Joyce (2007) " Phylogenetic Relationships of Mesozoic Turtles " Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History