Big-headed Amazon River turtle

Species of turtle

Peltocephalus dumerilianus

Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)^[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)^[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Pleurodira
Family:	Podocnemididae
Genus:	Peltocephalus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 ^[4]
Species:	P. dumerilianus
Binomial name
*Peltocephalus dumerilianus* (Schweigger, 1812) ^[3]
Synonyms^[1]^[5]
Emys dumeriliana Schweigger, 1812 Emys macrocephala Spix, 1824 Emys tracaxa Spix, 1824 Chelys (Hydraspis) lata Gray in Griffith, 1831 Emys icterocephala Gray in Griffith, 1831 Chelys (Hydraspis) dumerilliana [sic] — Gray, 1831 Podocnemis dumeriliana — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Peltocephalus tracaxa — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1835 Podocnemis tracaxa — Boulenger, 1889 Peltocephalus dumeriliana — Obst, 1985 Peltocephalus dumerilianus — Gorzula & Señaris, 1999

The Big-headed Amazon River turtle (Peltocephalus dumerilianus),^[5] also known as the big-headed sideneck, is a species of turtle in the family Podocnemididae. An additional, much larger species is known, the extinct Peltocephalus maturin, is also part of the genus, Peltocephalus.^[4]^[6]

Etymology

The specific name, dumerilianus, is in honor of French herpetologist André Marie Constant Duméril.^[7]

Description

P. dumerilianus are mid-sized turtles, with the largest specimen recorded possessing a 50 cm (1.6 ft) long carapace and weighing 15 kg (33 lb). Sexual dimorphism is present like in most turtles, with males being larger with wider heads.

Geographic range

P. dumerilianus is found in Brazil (Amazonas, Pará), Colombia, French Guiana, Venezuela, Ecuador, and possibly in Peru.^[5]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of P. dumerilianus are rivers and freshwater swamps, preferring igapó and other blackwater river systems.^[5]^[8]

Diet

Like all extant podocnemidids, P. dumerilianus is a plant-based omnivore, though includes the largest proportion of animal matter in its diet among its family. ^[9] It is an opportunistic predator, usually crawling around the bottom of water bodies searching for mollusks, fish, insects, and even scavenged carrion from other reptiles and mammals.^[10]

Reproduction

Like all other turtles, P. dumerilianus is oviparous.^[5] Unlike other members of its group which lay their eggs on sandy beaches, the Big-headed Amazon River turtle prefers concealed nests.

References

^ ^a ^b Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (1996). "Peltocephalus dumerilianus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T16511A5972664. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T16511A5972664.en. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ "Peltocephalus dumerilianus ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
^ ^a ^b "Peltocephalus ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Peltocephalus dumerilianus ". The Reptile Database.
^ Ferreira, G. S.; Nasciemento, E. R.; Cadena, E. A.; Cozzuol, M. A.; Farina, B. M.; Pacheco, M. L. A. F.; Rizzutto, M. A.; Langer, M. C. (2024). "The latest freshwater giants: a new Peltocephalus (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae) turtle from the Late Pleistocene of the Brazilian Amazon". Biology Letters. 20 (3). 20240010. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2024.0010. PMC 10932709. PMID 38471564.
^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Peltocephalus dumeriliana, p. 77).
^ Gentil, E.; Azevedo de Medeiros, L.; Vogt, R. C.; Barnett, A. A. (2021). "Biology of the Big-headed Amazon River Turtle, Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Schweigger, 1812) (Testudines, Pleurodira): the basal extant Podocnemididae species". Herpetozoa. 34: 207–222. doi:10.3897/herpetozoa.34.e67807.
^ Eisemberg, C. C.; Reynolds, S. J.; Christian, K. A.; Vogt, R. C. (2017). "Diet of Amazon river turtles (Podocnemididae): a review of the effects of body size, phylogeny, season and habitat". Zoology. 120: 92–100. doi:10.1016/j.zool.2016.07.003. PMID 27552858.
^ Gentil, E.; Azevedo de Medeiros, L.; Vogt, R. C.; Barnett, A. A. (2021). "Biology of the Big-headed Amazon River Turtle, Peltocephalus dumerilianus (Schweigger, 1812) (Testudines, Pleurodira): the basal extant Podocnemididae species". Herpetozoa. 34: 207–222. doi:10.3897/herpetozoa.34.e67807.

Boulenger GA (1889). Catalogue of the Chelonians, Rhynchocephalians, and Crocodiles in the British Museum (Natural History). New Edition. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). x + 311 pp. + Plates I-III. (Podocnemis tracaxa, p. 206).
Schweigger [AF] (1812). "Prodromus Monographia Cheloniorum ". Königsberger Archiv für Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik 1: 271-368, 406–458. (Emys dumeriliana, new species, p. 300). (in Latin).

Side-necked turtle species

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira

Family

Acanthochelys

	Acanthochelys macrocephala Acanthochelys pallidipectoris Acanthochelys radiolata Acanthochelys spixii

Chelus

	Chelus fimbriata Chelus orinocensis †Chelus colombiana

Mesoclemmys

	Mesoclemmys dahli Mesoclemmys gibba Mesoclemmys jurutiensis Mesoclemmys nasuta Mesoclemmys perplexa Mesoclemmys raniceps Mesoclemmys sabiniparaensis Mesoclemmys tuberculata Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei †Mesoclemmys vanegasorum Mesoclemmys zuliae

Phrynops

	Phrynops geoffroanus Phrynops hilarii †Phrynops paranaensis Phrynops tuberosus Phrynops williamsi

Platemys

	Platemys platycephala

Ranacephala

	Ranacephala hogei

Rhinemys

	Rhinemys rufipes

Chelodininae

Chelodina

Chelodina	Chelodina canni Chelodina gunaleni Chelodina longicollis Chelodina mccordi †Chelodina murrayi Chelodina novaeguineae Chelodina pritchardi Chelodina reimanni Chelodina steindachneri
Chelydera	†Chelodina alanrixi Chelodina burrungandjii Chelodina expansa Chelodina insculpta Chelodina kuchlingi Chelodina kurrichalpongo Chelodina parkeri Chelodina rugosa Chelodina walloyarrina
Macrochelodina	Chelodina oblonga

Elseya

Elseya	Elseya dentata Elseya branderhorsti Elseya flaviventralis
Pelocomastes	Elseya albagula Elseya irwini Elseya lavarackorum †Elseya nadibajagu †Elseya uberrima
Hanwarachelys	Elseya caelatus Elseya novaeguineae Elseya orestiad Elseya rhodini Elseya schultzei

Elusor

	Elusor macrurus

Emydura

	Emydura australis Emydura gunaleni Emydura macquarii Emydura subglobosa Emydura tanybaraga Emydura victoriae

Myuchelys

	Myuchelys belli Myuchelys georgesi Myuchelys latisternum Myuchelys purvisi

Rheodytes

	Rheodytes leukops †Rheodytes devisi

Hydromedusinae

Hydromedusa

	Hydromedusa maximiliani Hydromedusa tectifera

Pseudemydurinae

Pseudemydura

	Pseudemydura umbrina

Pelomedusidae

Pelomedusa

	Pelomedusa subrufa

Pelusios

	Pelusios adansonii Pelusios bechuanicus Pelusios broadleyi Pelusios carinatus Pelusios castaneus Pelusios castanoides Pelusios chapini Pelusios cupulatta Pelusios gabonensis Pelusios marani Pelusios nanus Pelusios niger Pelusios rhodesianus Pelusios sinuatus Pelusios subniger Pelusios upembae Pelusios williamsi

Podocnemididae

Erymnochelys

	Erymnochelys madagascariensis

Peltocephalus

	Peltocephalus dumerilianus

Podocnemis

	Podocnemis erythrocephala Podocnemis expansa Podocnemis lewyana Podocnemis sextuberculata Podocnemis unifilis Podocnemis vogli

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2021 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. Key: †=extinct.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Diapsida
Order: Testudines

Suborder

Superfamily

Family

Genus

Cryptodira

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	†Acherontemys Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys †Wilburemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Testudinidae	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis †Cymatholcus †Floridemys Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys †Oligopherus Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

Chelydridae	Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Alienochelys †Archelon †Atlantochelys †Bouliachelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
	†Adocus †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Ctenochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

v t e Species named after A.M.C. Duméril
Duméril's fringe-fingered lizard Acrantophis dumerili Callopora dumerilii Cantherhines dumerilii Luperina dumerilii Lycodon dumerili Micrurus dumerilii Big-headed Amazon River turtle Platynereis dumerilii Rocinela dumerilii Greater amberjack Sphaeroma dumerilii Stenocercus dumerilii Urotheca dumerilii Dumeril's monitor

Taxon identifiers
Peltocephalus dumerilianus	Wikidata: Q2716575 Wikispecies: Peltocephalus dumeriliana ADW: Peltocephalus ARKive: peltocephalus-dumerilianus BOLD: 254062 CoL: 76GCD EoL: 791175 GBIF: 5220518 iNaturalist: 73894 IRMNG: 10782821 ITIS: 551901 IUCN: 16511 NCBI: 329145 Open Tree of Life: 540332 Paleobiology Database: 373848 RD: dumerilianus Species+: 6028 WoRMS: 1457605