Flashcards on The Turtle Family Emydidae: A Systematic Review
The Turtle Family Emydidae: A Systematic Review for Students
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Emydidae systematics & phylogeny
224 cards
Card 1
Question: What is the family Emydidae recognized as in current systematics?
Answer: A monophyletic group defined by unique skeletal and molecular character states.
Card 2
Question: How many extant species does the family Emydidae comprise?
Answer: Approximately 50–60 extant species.
Card 3
Question: When are emydids believed to have originated (geological epoch and approximate age)?
Answer: In the Eocene, about 42–56 million years ago.
Card 4
Question: Where are most emydid species native to, and which two genera extend beyond that region?
Answer: Most are native to North America; Trachemys occurs in South America and Emys ranges across parts of Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.
Card 5
Question: Which two major subfamilies does most current evidence support within Emydidae?
Answer: Emydinae (mostly semi-terrestrial) and Deirochelyinae (more aquatic).
Card 6
Question: List the genera typically placed in the subfamily Emydinae.
Answer: Actinemys, Clemmys, Emydoidea, Emys, Glyptemys, Terrapene.
Card 7
Question: List the genera typically placed in the subfamily Deirochelyinae.
Answer: Chrysemys, Deirochelys, Graptemys, Malaclemys, Pseudemys, Trachemys.
Card 8
Question: Which author and year should be credited for the family name Emydidae?
Answer: Rafinesque, 1815.
Card 9
Question: What types of data were early taxonomic studies of emydids primarily based on, and what has more recent work relied on?
Answer: Early studies used morphological data including fossils; recent work has relied heavily on molecular (DNA) phylogenetic analyses.
Card 10
Question: Name three well-supported sister-group relationships among emydid genera mentioned in the content.
Answer: Emydoidea + Emys; Malaclemys + Graptemys; Trachemys + (Graptemys / Malaclemys).