Rafetus
Encyclopedia
Rafetus is a genus of highly endangered softshell turtles in the Trionychidae
family. According to most taxonomists, it contains the following 2 species:
Rafetus leloii (the Hoan Kiem turtle
) and Rafetus vietnamensis had been proposed as a species, but is no longer regarded as a valid taxon
; it is now considered a junior synonym of Rafetus swinhoei
.
All Rafetus species are fresh water
turtles.
Trionychidae
Trionychidae is a taxonomic family which comprises a number of turtle genera commonly known as softshells. They are also sometimes called pancake turtles. Softshells consist of some of the world's largest fresh water turtles, though many can adapt to living in highly brackish areas. Members of this...
family. According to most taxonomists, it contains the following 2 species:
- Euphrates softshell turtleEuphrates Softshell TurtleThe Euphrates softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the Trionychidae family. It is found in the basin of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, and Khūzestān Province of Iran...
(Rafetus euphraticus) - Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei)
Rafetus leloii (the Hoan Kiem turtle
Hoan Kiem Turtle
The Hoan Kiem turtle is a species of turtle from Southeast Asia. Its status as a distinct species is questionable, with the most recent review strongly suggesting Rafetus leloii is a synonym of Rafetus swinhoei.-Mythology:...
) and Rafetus vietnamensis had been proposed as a species, but is no longer regarded as a valid taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
; it is now considered a junior synonym of Rafetus swinhoei
Rafetus swinhoei
The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is an extremely rare species of softshell turtle found in Vietnam and China. It is also known as the Red river giant softshell turtle, Shanghai softshell turtle, or Swinhoe's softshell turtle. In Chinese it is known as the specked softshell turtle...
.
All Rafetus species are fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
turtles.
Cladogram
As Walter G. Joyce, Ariel Revan, Tyler R. Lyson and Igor G. Danilov (2009)Distribution
- Rafetus euphraticus: had been found at Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, and Khūzestān Province of Iran. International Union for Conservation of Nature set it as endangered speciesEndangered speciesAn endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. - Rafetus swinhoeiRafetus swinhoeiThe Yangtze giant softshell turtle is an extremely rare species of softshell turtle found in Vietnam and China. It is also known as the Red river giant softshell turtle, Shanghai softshell turtle, or Swinhoe's softshell turtle. In Chinese it is known as the specked softshell turtle...
: exist 2 or 4 individuals. IUCN set it as critically endangeredCritically endangeredVersion 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
.
External links
- Gray, J. E.John Edward GrayJohn Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
1864 Revision of the species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with descriptions of some new species. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1864: 76-98