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We describe the subsistence exploitation of an entire turtle fauna in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. We collected first-hand accounts and witnessed a number of capture techniques used by rural Afroecuadorian and Chachi inhabitants of the Cayapas-Santiago river basin. The diversity of techniques indicated a practical knowledge of the ecology of the species. Chelydra acutirostris, Kinosternon leucostomum, Rhinoclemmys annulata, melanosterna, and R. nasuta were captured and eaten. Poziando involved cleaning pools in a stream bed during the relatively dry season by removing live plants, organic detritus, and then seining with baskets; we observed R. melanosterna and K. leucostomum captured in this way. Pitfall traps baited with fruit were used to catch R. melanosterna during forays on land. Basket traps ("canasto tortuguero") with a wooden slat funnel across the opening are floated with balsa lashed to the sides. Banana or Xanthosoma leaf bait in the basket traps caught R. melanosterna, R. nasuta, and K. leucostomum. Marshy areas were probed for R. melanosterna and K. leucostomum. Direct capture by hand was also common. Turtles were relished as food items; all turtles captured were consumed, usually in soup or stew. Use of turtles for food in the region was pervasive, perhaps because fish and game populations were depleted. Describimos la cacería de subsistencia de la fauna de tortugas en la provincia de Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Hemos recogido testimonios de primera mano y fuimos testigos de una serie de técnicas de captura utilizadas por los habitantes rurales afroecuatorianos y chachis de la cuenca de los ríos Cayapas-Santiago. La diversidad de técnicas indica un conocimiento práctico de la ecología de las especies. Chelydra acutirostris, Kinosternon leucostomum, Rhinoclemmys annulata, R. melanosterna y R. nasuta fueron capturadas y utilizadas como alimento. El método de "pozeo" consiste en limpiar las pozas o quebradas durante la estación de menos lluvia; en el proceso se remueven las plantas vivas y detritus orgánicos y las tortugas se cazan con la ayuda de canastas, y observamos que R. melanosterna y K. leucostomum fueron capturadas de esta manera. Las trampas de caída, cebadas con frutas, se utilizaron para capturar R. melanosterna durante incursiones a tierra firme. El "canasto tortuguero" es un cesto de fibra vegetal que tiene la parte interna en forma de embudo, construido con listones de madera (generalmente chonta) y en su exterior se atan dos trozos de madera de balsa para darle flotabilidad. Los canastos fueron cebados con plátanos u hojas de malanga (Xanthosoma) para atrapar especies de Rhinoclemmys y K. leucostomum. En las zonas pantanosas, se usó la técnica de tanteo o pisoteo para colectar R. melanosterna y K. leucostomum. La captura directa o a mano también es un método común de caza. Las tortugas fueron preparadas como alimento principalmente en sopas o guisos. El uso de las tortugas en la alimentación se ha generalizado en la región, posiblemente porque ha disminuido la cacería de animales grandes.

Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Boulenger 1902) is a medium-sized aquatic turtle that inhabits rivers and creeks in the Tumbes-Chocó biogeographic region. An egg of R. nasuta was found with about 95% of its surface area buried in the forest substrate of Isla Palma (Bahía Málaga, Colombia) and it was transported to the laboratory. The time to complete incubation was 66 days. Neonate size on the day it hatched was 58.4 mm straight carapace length, 34.6 mm straight carapace width, 55.3 mm straight plastron length, 30 mm maximum shell height and it weighed 33 g. This is the first report of an R. nasuta egg hatched under either natural or laboratory conditions. Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Boulenger 1902) es una tortuga acuática de tamaño mediano que habita en los ríos y quebradas de la región biogeográfica Tumbes-Chocó. Se encontró un huevo de R. nasuta enterrado en un 95% en el suelo del bosque en la localidad de Isla Palma (Bahía Málaga, Colombia) y fue transportado al laboratorio. Después de 66 días de incubación, el tamaño del recién nacido cuando eclosionó fue de 58,4 mm de longitud de caparazón, 34,6 mm de ancho de caparazón, 55,3 mm de longitud del plastrón, 30 mm de altura máxima de la concha y pesó 33 g. Este es el primer reporte de un huevo de R. nasuta incubado exitosamente ya sea bajo condiciones de laboratorio o en condiciones naturales.

The Chocoan River Turtle, Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Geoemydidae), is a species of great importance due to its limited geographical distribution and threat status. In Colombia it is considered in the category data deficient (DD) and globally as a near-threatened species (NT). In this study we assessed the population density, variation in the demographic structure and population size, and morphometric variation in two localities. One island population has no human disturbance and the other, mainland locality is human-influenced. Population density was 6.3 times greater in the insular locality, which corresponds with the absence of some predators and human disturbance at this location. Additionally, there was no significant difference between localities in demographic structure and size classes, which may reflect that there is no removal of individuals for consumption or use as pets in the mainland population. On the other hand, body size was smaller on the island, a phenomenon that may be explained by a tendency of species to dwarfism in insular environments, or an effect of increased intraspecific competition. To clarify whether differences in population density and body size are attributable to island effects or to the difference in the degree of human disturbance between the two populations it will be necessary to sample at other locations on the mainland with different degrees of human disturbance. However, it is important to stress the importance of Isla Palma as a site for regional conservation of R. nasuta. La Tortuga de río chocoana, Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Geoemydidae), es una especie de gran importancia para la conservación debido a su distribución geográfica limitada y a su estatus de amenaza, siendo considerada en la categoría de datos deficientes (DD) a nivel de Colombia y casi amenazada (NT) mundialmente. En este estudio se evaluó la densidad poblacional, la variación poblacional en estructura y tamaño, así como la variación morfométrica en dos localidades. La primera localidad corresponde a una isla continental (Isla Palma) sin perturbación humana, y la otra localidad se encuentra en el continente y ha sido afectada por la perturbación humana. Como resultados se obtuvo una densidad poblacional 6,3 veces mayor en la localidad insular, debido a la ausencia de algunos predadores y de perturbación humana. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la estructura de la poblacion a nivel de proporción de sexos o clases de tamaños, lo cual puede estar reflejando que no existe una remoción de individuos para el consumo o tráfico de mascotas en la localidad continental. Por otra parte, se evidenció una disminución del tamaño corporal en la isla, lo cual puede ser explicado por una tendencia al enanismo en islas de especies no territoriales o a un efecto de aumento de competencia intraespecífica. Para esclarecer si los cambios en densidad poblacional y tamaño corporal son generados por efecto insular o diferencias en grado de perturbación humana, es necesario realizar muestreos en otras localidades continentales con diferentes grados de perturbación humana. Sin embargo, cabe recalcar la importancia de la localidad de Isla Palma a nivel regional para la conservación de R. nasuta.

This study provides an update on the ectoparasites (ticks and leeches) associated with Rhinoclemmys annulata and provides new accounts on the ectoparasites associated with R. nasuta, R. melanosterna andKinosternon leucostomum from the Pacific coast of Colombia. The presence ofAmblyomma sabanerae on R. nasuta and R. melanosterna provided two new host records for the tick species. Also, the documentation ofA. sabanerae from the Department of Valle del Cauca represents a new department record for the species in Colombia. Placobdella ringueleti was identified fromR. nasuta and K. leucostomum, which represents a new host record for the leech species, as well as a significant extension of the known range. Este estudio proporciona nueva información sobre ectoparásitos (garrapatas y sanguijuelas) encontrados en Rhinoclemmys annulata, y aporta nuevos registros sobre ectoparásitos asociados a R. nasuta,R. melanosterna y Kinosternon leucostomum en la costa pacífica de Colombia. La presencia de Amblyomma sabanerae en R. nasuta y R. melanosterna provee dos nuevos hospederos para esta especie de garrapata. Igualmente el reporte de A. sabanerae amplía el registro de esta especie en Colombia, al departamento del Valle del Cauca. R. nasuta y K. leucostomum, se constituyen en nuevos registros de hospederos para Placobdella ringueleti, e incrementa de manera significativa el rango de distribución geográfico conocido para esta especie de sanguijuela.

Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Boulenger 1902) es una especie endémica que se encuentra registrada en el libro rojo de los reptiles de Colombia y está catalogada como casi amenazada a nivel mundial. Esta especie, de tamaño mediano, habita los cursos de agua en la región Tumbes-Chocó, desde la cuenca del río Esmeraldas ( Ecuador ) hasta la zona media de la cuenca del río Atrato ( Chocó, Colombia ). Hasta la fecha no se ha podido realizar una adecuada valoración de su estado de conservación debido a diferentes vacíos de conocimientos identificados con relación a la historia natural y la ecología de la especie. En el presente trabajo se recogen los resultados del análisis del tamaño y estructura de una población de R. nasuta estudiada en un ambiente insular del Pacífico colombiano (Isla Palma, Bahía Málaga, Valle del Cauca). En las condiciones de estudio, la población estuvo dominada por individuos adultos siendo la proporción Hembras: Machos: Juveniles de 1.00: 0.71: 0.85. Las hembras fueron consistentemente más grandes que los machos (♀: 179.87 ± 3.27 mm; ♂:151.83 ± 2.41 mm), definiéndose un índice general de dimorfismo sexual de 1.18. Con base en los registros de captura-recaptura, se estimó que el tamaño de la población de esta especie en Isla Palma durante el periodo de estudio fue de 990 individuos (IC90%: 941 a 1044 ind), con una densidad promedio de 2444 ± 122 tortugas por cada hectárea de río. Al evaluar la relación tamaño-peso, se estableció que el crecimiento de R. nasuta es de tipo isométrico (b = 3.04), siendo la tendencia de crecimiento similar entre machos y hembras a pesar del dimorfismo sexual detectado. Este trabajo es el primer esfuerzo de investigación en la región pacífica de Colombia que aborda el estudio sistemático de una población de tortugas continentales. Además, proporciona información sobre la historia natural de R. nasuta que fortalecerá las iniciativas de conservación de tortugas en Colombia. Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Boulenger 1902) is an endemic turtle listed in the Colombian red book of reptiles as an endangered species. This is a mid-sized aquatic turtle that inhabits rivers and creeks in the Tumbes-Chocó region, from the Esmeraldas River basin ( Ecuador ) to the middle region of the Atrato River basin ( Chocó, Colombia ). To date, the limited knowledge of the natural history and ecology of this species has impeded an appropriate assessment of its conservation status. Herein, we analyzed the population size and structure of R. nasuta from an insular locality in the Colombian Pacific region (Isla Palma, Bahía Málaga, Valle del Cauca). The studied population was dominated by adult individuals, with a female: male: juvenile ratio of 1.00: 0.71: 0.85. Females were significantly larger than males (♀: 179.87 ± 3.27 mm; ♂: 151.83 ± 2.41 mm) with a sexual dimorphism index of 1.18. The population size estimate based on capture-recapture records was 990 individuals (CI90%: 941 to 1044 ind) with a mean density of 2444 ± 122 turtles per ha. Despite the strong sexual dimorphism detected, the relationship between carapace length and weight indicates isometric growth (b=3.04), with a similar growth tendency in both females and males. This is the first study on the ecology of a continental turtle species from the Pacific region of Colombia. This information on R. nasuta will be useful in the conservation initiatives for the turtles of Colombia

Testudo scripta Thunberg in Schoepff 1792 The specimen of ��� Testudo scabra Thunberg ��� (labeled ��� Testudo scripta Thunberg ��� on the plate) that Schoepff (1792) used as the basis for the description of Testudo scripta (= Trachemys scripta scripta) is present in the Thunbergian collection in Uppsala (Fig. 7). It is the only specimen of Testudo scripta in the collection and was accessioned by Thunberg himself, who recorded it in various versions of his museum catalogues. This specimen is the holotype of Trachemys scripta scripta and has never previously been located or identified (Iverson 1992; Seidel and Ernst 2006). Interestingly, Schweigger (1812: 297) later wrote about T. scripta Schoepff: ��� Vidi specimen, quo usus Schoepf., in museo Parisiensi ��� (I saw the specimen, used by Schoepff, in the Paris Museum), but that was never confirmed, and it is not there (R. Bour, pers. comm.). Instead, it was part of the Thunberg donation to the collections in Uppsala. Since Schweigger visited both collections, he may have meant ��� Upsaliensi ��� rather than ��� Parisiensi.��� The specimen is a small, dried, misshapen hatchling labeled ��� Testudo scripta Mus. Thunb. ��� by Thunberg himself (Fig. 7) and is the only T. scripta in the entire Linnaean and Thunbergian collections in Uppsala. It measures approximately 31.0 mm straight CL, ca. 30.3 mm PL, and 9.2 mm tympanic head width, and has a trace of its hatchling egg caruncle still visible. It was never given an original accession number, but has now been catalogued as UUZM Types 7455. It was accessioned into the Uppsala collection sometime between 1785 and 1792, but not with the first group of Thunberg specimens in 1785, being added to the catalogue as ��� Testudo scripta ��� after the initial entries (Thunberg 1785 ���1817, 1808��� 1815). Aside from entries for this single specimen of T. scripta by Thunberg in various other handwritten museum catalogues, the only actual publication documenting its existence was in Thunberg (1818) where it was listed as being part of the Thunberg donations to the Uppsala collections. Based on examination of the poorly-preserved holotype and its photos (Fig. 7) and examination of its original figure (Schoepff 1792: pl. 3, f. 4, 5, labeled ��� Test. scripta Thunb.���) (Fig. 4), we and other colleagues highly familiar with T. scripta (K. Buhlmann, W. Gibbons, and B. Thomas, pers. comm.) agree that it fortunately appears to represent a Trachemys scripta scripta, but genetic analysis would be helpful to be certain., Published as part of Rhodin, Anders G. J. & Carr, John L., 2009, A quarter millenium of uses and misuses of the turtle name Testudo scabra: Identification of the type specimens of T. scabra Linnaeus 1758 (= Rhinoclemmys punctularia) and T. scripta Thunberg in Schoepff 1792 (= Trachemys scripta scripta), pp. 1-18 in Zootaxa 2226 on page 12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275181, {"references":["Iverson, J. B. (1992) A Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World. Richmond, IN: Privately printed, xiii + 363 pp.","Seidel, M. E. & Ernst, C. H. (2006) Trachemys scripta. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, 831, 1 - 94.","Schweigger, A. F. (1812) Prodromus monographiae Cheloniorum. Konigsberger Archiv fur Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik, 1, (3), 271 - 368; (4), 406 - 462.","Thunberg, C. P. (1785 - 1817) Donat. Animal. Thunberg. Animalia. 1. Mammalia, 2. Aves, 3. Amphibia, 4. Pisces, 5. Insecta, 6. Vermes, donata a Car. Pet. Thunberg 1785 - 1817. 8. Donatio 1785 seqqv. Caroli Petri Thunberg. Uppsala: Handwritten Catalogue at Uppsala University Zoological Museum, 180 pp.","Thunberg, C. P. (1818) Museum Naturalium Academiae Upsaliensis. Append. XXIV ... proponit Olavus Sjostrand."]}

Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758 The original type specimen (holotype) of T. scabra L. 1758 was donated to Carl Linnaeus for his personal collection by Jonas Alstr��mer in 1749 [Alstr��mer was a Swedish industrialist and co-founder with Linnaeus of the Swedish Academy of Sciences] and became part of the combined Alstr��mer/Linnaeus collections later donated by Linnaeus to the Museum in Uppsala (Linn�� and Thunberg 1780; Thunberg 1785 ���1817, 1787a, 1808���1815; L��nnberg 1896; Holm 1957; Wallin 1992). After Linnaeus died in 1778, the specimen was catalogued in 1780 by his son and curatorial successor, Carl von Linn��, Jr., as being in the Linnaean collection as their single specimen of ��� Testudo scabra ��� (Linn�� and Thunberg 1780), and that it was at that time stored in alcohol. After Linn�� died in 1784, this specimen was catalogued as ��� T. scabra �� �� L. ��� by his curatorial successor, Carl Petter Thunberg (Thunberg 1808 ���1815) indicating that the specimen had been donated by Alstr��mer, and distinguishing it from two specimens, ��� T. scabra �� Th. " and ��� T. scabra �� Th.," donated to the collection in 1785 by Thunberg himself (Thunberg 1785 ���1817). Later, the original Alstr��mer specimen was labeled ��� Testudo scabra �� Linn. Mus.��� by Thunberg, reaffirming that it had come specifically from the Alstr��mer/Linnaeus donation (Wallin 1992). Thunberg labeled the two subsequent specimens of what he considered to be T. scabra as ��� T. scabra �� Mus. Thunb. ��� and ��� T. scabra �� Mus. Thunb. ��� Sometime later, but prior to 1817, Thunberg donated another specimen that he catalogued as ��� T. scabra �� Mus. Thunb. ��� (Thunberg 1785 ���1817). The same catalogues (Thunberg 1785 ���1817, 1808��� 1815) also list the donation by Thunberg of a single specimen of ��� T. scripta Th. ���, the type of Testudo scripta Schoepff 1792 (see below). Sometime during the 1800 s the holotype was removed from alcohol storage and dried out. L��nnberg (1896: 34) examined the type specimen of T. scabra L. and noted that it was ���quite young, dried and in a very bad condition.��� He noted further that Boulenger (1889: 121) had synonymized T. scabra L. with a question mark under Nicoria trijuga (presently Melanochelys trijuga), but disagreed with this, noting that ���it is possible that [the type] is a Nicoria, but it is not Nicoria trijuga .��� However, most subsequent authors followed Boulenger���s lead (without examining the specimen) and continued to place T. scabra L. in the synonymy of trijuga. FIGURE 5. Type specimen (holotype) of Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758: 198, donated by Jonas Alstr��mer in 1749 to Carl Linnaeus and then later by Linnaeus to the Uppsala University Museum of Zoology (UUZM Linn�� Collection 129), dried hatchling, ca. 44 mm straight CL. The original tag by Carl Petter Thunberg from ca. 1785 reads ��� Testudo scabra �� Mus. Linn.��� This specimen represents a Rhinoclemmys punctularia. Holm (1957) noted that the holotype was still present in the Uppsala museum and had by then been catalogued as Linn�� Collection no. 129. The specimen (with its original Thunberg tag) is still extant in the collection, and is badly preserved as noted by L��nnberg (1896). Examination of the holotype of Testudo scabra Linnaeus 1758 (UUZM Linn�� Collection no. 129), illustrated here for the first time (Fig. 5), indicates that it is not referable to eight of the nine nominal species with which the name scabra has previously been synonymized, i.e., Melanochelys trijuga, Pelomedusa subrufa, Emys orbicularis, Trachemys scripta, Glyptemys insculpta, Cylindraspis vosmaeri, C. peltastes, or C. indica. We have instead identified the specimen as belonging to the ninth species with which it has previously been synonymized, Rhinoclemmys punctularia (Daudin 1801), based on comparison with all nine species of Rhinoclemmys and 13 genera of Asian Geoemydidae (Carr 1991; Vetter and van Dijk 2006; Rueda- Almonacid et al. 2007). The specimen itself is a small, dry, somewhat shriveled hatchling currently measuring approximately 44 mm straight CL (Fig. 5). The carapace dorsum is brown, with the undersides of the marginal scutes and plastron periphery a yellow color, with a large black figure in the center of the plastron. Soft parts of the limbs, head and neck are shriveled and appear nearly black, except that the dorsal and lateral portions of the head exhibit lighter-colored (yellowish) stripes. Diagnostically important parts of the head color pattern and bridge region are somewhat obscured by the poorly-preserved state of the specimen; however, through a careful and thorough examination of many externally visible characteristics of the specimen we were able to restrict the identification to a single species of Rhinoclemmys. The following combination of characters identify the holotype as belonging to the testudinoid family Geoemydidae rather than the Emydidae or Testudinidae: 1) contact between marginal scutes and the pectoral and abdominal scutes on the bridge; 2) hatchling size> 40 mm; 3) presence of a nuchal scute; 4) presence of a vertebral keel; 5) presence of two axillary scutes; 6) plastral coloration a dark, centrally located, longitudinal band that extends from the gular scutes to the posterior end of the plastron; and 7) presence of five separate digits of the manus. Now restricted to the Geoemydidae, and acknowledging that no single characteristic is diagnostic for the genus, we can further identify the specimen as belonging to Rhinoclemmys based on the following combination of characteristics: 1) lateral keel present in the form of a discontinuous, longitudinally oriented keratinous ridge on the costal scute areolae; 2) relatively weak degree of serration of the posterior marginal scutes; 3) presence of an anal notch; 4) dark central plastral coloration not extending across the anterior portion of the gular scutes, but extending around the anal notch; 5) presence of two relatively small axillary scutes; 6) contact between the humeral scute and posterior axillary scute; 7) ventral portions of marginal scutes 4, 5, and 6 contact the plastral scutes (pectoral and/or abdominal) on the bridge (and marginal 7 would apparently contact the abdominal); and 8) presence of a narrow zygomatic arch (���excavated dorsally and ventrally��� as described by Feuer 1970). Features of the specimen that indicate probable identification as R. punctularia are [comparison to other nominal species of Rhinoclemmys in brackets]: 1) the CL of approximately 44���49 mm is close to the size range known for hatchlings of R. punctularia, i.e., smallest = 47 mm and average = 56���58 mm (Ewert 1979; Pritchard and Trebbau 1984) [other known hatchling sizes are: 35���51 mm (R. pulcherrima), 46 mm (R. diademata), 52 mm (mean for R. rubida), 39���59 mm (R. melanosterna), 55 mm (mean for R. areolata), 63 mm (mean for R. funerea), and 64 mm (mean for R. annulata) (mostly Ewert 1979)]; 2) the maxillary tomium is notched in the midline with a cusp on each side [characteristic of all but R. annulata and R. rubida]; 3) the dark central plastron color does not extend across the anterior portion of the gular scutes, but does extend around the anal notch, with a yellow margin laterally and anteriorly [typical of most of the genus, but it is typically narrower in R. pulcherrima and R. rubida; a different, blotched pattern is found in R. nasuta]; 4) the relative lack of dark pigmentation on the ventral surfaces of the marginal scutes [more extensive in R. annulata, R. diademata, R. funerea, R. nasuta, R. rubida; also dark, or with ocelli in R. pulcherrima]; 5) presence of dark blotches on the lateral pectoral and abdominal scutes and adjacent marginals [typical of several species, but R. annulata, R. pulcherrima and R. rubida have the bridge portions of the pectoral and abdominal scutes nearly uniformly dark in coloration; and dark coloration is often absent from the area in R. areolata and R. melanosterna]; 6) axillary scutes contact marginal scutes 2, 3, and 4 [this is the most common character state only in R. melanosterna and punctularia; more common in all other species is contact with marginals 3 and 4 only]; 7) interhumeral seam length is less than the intergular seam length [characteristic of all species except R. annulata]; 8) interanal seam length is greater than the interfemoral seam length [also characteristic of R. diademata and R. rubida; all other species are the converse]; 9) seam B contact (intercostal seam between C 1 and C 2) (Tinkle 1962) on anterior marginal 5 [the dominant character state in all species except R. annulata and R. nasuta]; and 10) seam C contact (intercostal seam between C 2 and C 3) (Tinkle 1962) on anterior marginal 7 [the most common character state in all species except R. funerea, R. melanosterna, and R. nasuta]. In addition, the color pattern of the head apparently includes both supratemporal and postorbital stripes, both of which are light-colored stripes on the dark ground color that is typical of all species of Rhinoclemmys. The dorsum of the specimen���s head appears to be covered with an extensive, light-colored blotch with the supratemporal stripe extending from the dorsolateral corner. We suspect that the extent of this ���blotch��� may be an artifact of drying, and we note the similarity to the ���lunata��� form of head marking found in some specimens of R. punctularia (Fretey et al. 1977). Occipital spots that would be diagnostic for R. punctularia may be represented by the two, oval, posterior extensions of the ���blotch��� nearest the midline (Fig. 5). We can unequivocally exclude T. scabra L. from the synonymy of Melanochelys trijuga based on the continuous lateral keel present from hatching (as evidenced in the Seba illustration reproduced here as Fig. 1) and the great extent of dark pigmentation on the plastron found in that taxon. Similarly, T. scabra L. is obviously not a testudinid, and may be excluded from the synonymy of Cylindraspis spp. based on the presence of a nuchal scute and separate 12 th marginals, as opposed to a single supracaudal scute as is characteristic of most Testudinidae. Among the features that characterize Trachemys scripta that are not present in the holotype of T. scabra are: 1) vertebral keel absent or evidenced as a narrow ridge; 2) no trace of lateral keels; 3) dark plastral coloration is not in the form of a broad central figure; 4) a single relatively large axillary scute prevents contact between the 4 th marginal and pectoral scutes; and 5) a rather broad zygomatic arch. The other two emydids with which T. scabra L. has been synonymized, Glyptemys insculpta and Emys orbicularis, differ in the absence of humeral-axillary contact, only one axillary scute is present, and the zygomatic arch is relatively broad. Two obvious features of T. scabra L. that indicate it is not a specimen of Pelomedusa subrufa are its lack of an intergular scute and the presence of a nuchal scute. Our preliminary impression of the holotype had been that it appeared to possibly represent R. annulata (Gray 1860), but we are now convinced that it is referable to punctularia rather than annulata. However, genetic testing of the specimen with comparison to all Rhinoclemmys species would be helpful to absolutely confirm its identity. FIGURE 6. One of three specimens of ��� Testudo scabra ��� at the University of Uppsala Museum of Zoology donated by Carl Petter Thunberg between 1785 and 1815 (UUZM s/n, juvenile shell, 86 mm CL). Original Thunberg tag reads ��� Testudo scabra �� Mus. Thunb.��� and newer tag reads ��� Chelopus punctularius Mus. Thunb. ��� This specimen represents Rhinoclemmys punctularia, but has no status as a type. The type locality for T. scabra Linnaeus (1758: 198) was originally given as ���Indiis��� (= West Indies or South America), but emended by Linnaeus (1766: 351) to ��� India orientali, Carolina.��� Since the name T. scabra represents a specimen of R. punctularia, we hereby restrict the type locality of T. scabra L. to ���Cayenne, French Guiana ���, the same type locality as for Testudo punctularia Daudin (1801: 252) (= R. punctularia). Thunberg���s three specimens of ��� T. scabra ��� donated to the Uppsala collections betwen 1785 and 1817 (Thunberg 1785 ���1817) are also still extant. The first, T. scabra �� (Fig. 6) is a dried shell of Rhinoclemmys punctularia measuring 86 mm CL. The second, T. scabra �� (not figured), has been re-identified as an Emys orbicularis. The third, T. scabra �� (not figured), is a juvenile Rhinoclemmys punctularia measuring 51 mm CL. None of these specimens have any standing as Linnaean types, nor were they described by Thunberg., Published as part of Rhodin, Anders G. J. & Carr, John L., 2009, A quarter millenium of uses and misuses of the turtle name Testudo scabra: Identification of the type specimens of T. scabra Linnaeus 1758 (= Rhinoclemmys punctularia) and T. scripta Thunberg in Schoepff 1792 (= Trachemys scripta scripta), pp. 1-18 in Zootaxa 2226 on pages 8-12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275181, {"references":["Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema Naturae, per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. [10 th Ed.]. Holmiae [Stockholm]: Laurentii Salvii, 824 pp.","Linne, C. v., Jr. & Thunberg, C. P. (1780) Inventeringen pa Academiska i Horto Botanico varande Museum [In Swedish]. 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Harless & H. Morlock (Eds), Turtles: Perspectives and Research. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY, pp. 333 - 413.","Pritchard, P. C. H. & Trebbau, P. (1984) The Turtles of Venezuela (Vol. 2). Oxford, OH: SSAR, x + 403 pp.","Tinkle, D. W. (1962) Variation in shell morphology of North American turtles. I. The carapacial seam arrangements. Tulane Studies in Zoology, 9, 331 - 349.","Fretey, J., Hoogmoed, M. S. & Lescure, J. (1977) Etude taxinomique de Rhinoclemmys punctularia punctularia (Daudin) (Testudinata, Emydidae). Zoologische Mededelingen, 52, 6, 63 - 80.","Gray, J. E. (1860) Description of a new species of Geoclemmys from Ecuador. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1860, 231 - 232.","Linnaeus, C. (1766) Systema Naturae. Editio Duodecima, Reformata. Tomus I, Pars I, Regnum Animale [12 th Ed.]. Holmiae [Stockholm]: Laurentii Salvii, 532 pp."]}