Zambezi flapshell turtle

The Zambezi flapshell turtle (Cycloderma frenatum) is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae). Within its family, C. frenatum belongs to the smaller, and exclusively Old World, subfamily Cyclanorbinae.

Zambezi flapshell turtle
Head of a Cycloderma frenatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Trionychidae
Genus: Cycloderma
Species:
C. frenatum
Binomial name
Cycloderma frenatum
W. Peters, 1854
Synonyms[1]
  • Cycloderma frenatum
    W. Peters, 1854
  • Cyclanosteus frenatus
    — Gray, 1856
  • Aspidochelys livingstonii
    Gray, 1860
  • Heptathyra frenata
    — Gray, 1864
  • Heptathyra livingstonii
    — Gray, 1864
  • Gymnopus subplanus
    A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835
  • Amyda subplana
    — Fitzinger, 1843
  • Dogania subplana
    — Gray, 1844
  • Trionyx frenatus
    — Gray, 1856
  • Dogania guentheri
    Gray, 1862
  • Trionyx guentheri
    — Günther, 1864
  • Potamochelys frenatus
    — Gray, 1864

Geographic range

C. frenatum is found in southeastern Africa, in the countries of Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar, and Zimbabwe,[2] and mainly in the Zambezi basin.

Conservation status

C. frenatum is becoming rare due to habitat loss.

Plastron with the peculiar hindleg flaps

References
  1. Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 314–315. ISSN 1864-5755. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  2. "Cycloderma frenatum ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading
  • Peters W (1854). "Übersicht der auf seiner Reise nach Mossambique beobachteten Schildkröten ". Bericht über die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlung der Königlich Preuissische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1854: 215-216. (Cycloderma frenatum, new species, p. 216). (in German and Latin).
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