Actinemys

Actinemys is a small genus of turtles in the family Emydidae.[1] The genus is endemic to the west coast of North America. The genus contains two species.

Actinemys
Western pond turtle, (Actinemys marmorata)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Emydidae
Subfamily: Emydinae
Genus: Actinemys
Agassiz, 1857

Species

The following two species are recognized as being valid.[1]

  • Actinemys marmorata (Baird & Girard, 1852) – northwestern pond turtle, northern Pacific pond turtle
  • Actinemys pallida (Seeliger, 1945) – southwestern pond turtle, southern Pacific pond turtle

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Actinemys.

Taxonomy

Both species are sometimes included in the genus Emys (sensu lato).[2] Actinemys pallida, the southwestern pond turtle, has been a recent split from Actinemys marmorata, of which it was previously considered a subspecies.

References
  1. "Actinemys ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Rhodin 2011, pp. 000.185

Further reading
  • Agassiz L (1857). Contributions to the Natural History of the United States. Vol I. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. li + 452 pp. (Actinemys, new genus, p. 444).
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