Turtles of the World, 2011 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status
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Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation ProjectTurtles of the IUCN/SSC of the World Tortoise – 2011and Freshwater Checklist Turtle Specialist Group 000.165 A.G.J. Rhodin, P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, J.B. Iverson, and R.A. Mittermeier, Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v4.2011 © 2011 by Chelonian Research Foundation • Published 31 December 2011 Turtles of the World, 2011 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status TUR T LE TAXONOMY WORKING GROUP * *Authorship of this article is by this working group of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, which for the purposes of this document consisted of the following contributors: PE T ER PAUL VAN DIJK 1, JOHN B. IVERSON 2, H. BRA D LEY SHAFFER 3,4, ROGER BOUR 5, AN D AN D ERS G.J. RHO D IN 6 1Deputy Chair, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, Virginia 22202 USA [[email protected]]; 2Department of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana 47374 USA [[email protected]]; 3Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California 95616 USA; 4Present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 USA [[email protected]]; 5Laboratoire des Reptiles et Amphibiens, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France [[email protected]]; 6Chair, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Chelonian Research Foundation, 168 Goodrich St., Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 USA [[email protected]] AB S T RAC T . – This is our fifth annual compilation of an annotated checklist of all recognized and named taxa of the world’s modern chelonian fauna, documenting recent changes and controversies in nomenclature, and including all primary synonyms, updated from our previous four checklists (Turtle Taxonomy Working Group 2007b, 2009, 2010; Rhodin et al. 2008). We continue to provide an updated comprehensive listing of important aspects of taxonomy, names, distribution, and con- servation status of all turtles and tortoises of the world. We strive to record the most recent justified taxonomic assignment of terminal taxa in a hierarchical framework, providing annotations, includ- ing alternative possible arrangements, for some recently proposed changes. We provide common English names and detailed distributional data for all taxa, listing occurrence by countries and many smaller political or geographic subunits (states or regions), including indications of native, extirpated, and introduced (modern or prehistoric) populations. We also include current published and draft IUCN Red List status determinations for all turtles, as well as CITES listings. The di- versity of turtles and tortoises in the world that has existed in modern times (since 1500 AD), and currently generally recognized as distinct and included on this checklist, now consists of 330 species. Of these, 57 are polytypic, representing 125 additional recognized subspecies, or 455 total taxa of modern turtles and tortoises. Of these, 8 species and 2 subspecies, or 10 taxa, are extinct. As of the current IUCN 2011 Red List, 134 turtle species (58.8% of 228 species listed, 40.6% of all species) are officially regarded as globally Threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable). We now record additional draft Red List evaluations of the 102 previously “unevaluated” species, and updated draft re-evaluations of previously listed species, allowing us to evaluate the overall current threat levels for all turtles and tortoises. Of the 330 total species of turtles and tortoises, 149 (45.2%) are Threatened, with 98 (29.7%) Critically Endangered or Endangered. If we adjust for predicted threat rates of Data Deficient species, then 52% of all turtles are Threatened. If we include Extinct in the Wild and Extinct species, then 48.0% of all modern turtles and tortoises are recorded as either already extinct or threatened with extinction, with a predicted rate of 55% threatened and extinct. Turtles are among the most endangered of the major groups of vertebrates, surpassing birds, mammals, cartilaginous or bony fishes, and amphibians. KEY W OR D S . – Reptilia, Testudines, turtle, tortoise, chelonian, taxonomy, nomenclature, genera, species, subspecies, primary synonyms, suprageneric hierarchy, systematics, common names, distribution, introduced species, conservation status, IUCN Red List, CITES, threatened species, extinction The diversity of all turtles and tortoises (chelonians) 125 additional recognized subspecies, or 455 total taxa of in the world that has existed in modern times (since 1500 modern chelonians. Of these, 8 species plus 2 subspecies, AD), and currently generally recognized as distinct by spe- or 10 total taxa, of tortoises and freshwater turtles have cialists in turtle taxonomy and systematics, consists of ap- become extinct since 1500 AD (see Table 1), leaving us proximately 330 species, of which 57 are polytypic, with currently with 322 species and 123 additional subspecies, 000.166 Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises • Chelonian Research Monographs, No. 5 or 445 total taxa of living turtles and tortoises. Of all living However, for the higher-level suprageneric categories turtle taxa, 7 species are marine turtles, leaving 315 species used in this checklist, we have also provided some syn- and 438 total taxa of modern living freshwater and terres- onyms and previously-used names for the same or included trial turtles and tortoises. groupings whose usage may not necessarily correspond to The 455 total turtle and tortoise taxa recognized on this nomenclatural guidelines under the ICZN. Since the ICZN checklist are based on a listed synonymy of 1206 separate does not regulate names above the superfamily rank, our named turtle and tortoise species and subspecies, counting listings of these names are intended to document historical both new descriptions and nomina nova replacement names, use to aid understanding and resolving the difficult ques- but not nomina nuda or ex errore typographical error tions of what names are most appropriately used for these names. In this checklist we present a full taxonomic listing suprageneric categories and to what author they should of all recognized taxa, including synonymized names, and be attributed. For example, the names we list under the provide annotations concerning recently described new Order-level name for turtles (Testudines) are not all strict taxa, nomenclatural and taxonomic updates, and significant synonyms, as some were proposed at different levels of taxon-related controversies or developments. groupings, from “Family” to Order to various supra-ordi- New names added to this 2011 checklist are Gopherus nal categories. Many were utilized primarily for including morafkai Murphy et al. 2011, Testudo dagestanica various fossil turtle-like ancestors in an expanded concept Chkhikvadze et al. 2011 (= Testudo graeca ibera or T. of turtles, including some rank-free Phylocode names. The g. armeniaca), and Terrapene putnami Hay 1906 † (= names we list in other infra-ordinal suprageneric categories Terrapene carolina major). are not always strict synonyms either, as based on nomen- As there is always some disagreement among experts clatural acceptability or availability of the utilized group as to which taxa are distinct and valid, and at what system- name, but instead provide a partial historical record for atic level or rank (species or subspecies), these numbers names previously used for the same or similar grouping. are variable depending on the authorities presenting their Our formatting in terms of the use of standardized end- data or interpretations. For prior discussions and listings ings and attribution of authorship of names of some groups of all recognized modern turtle taxa, with extensive an- (e.g., Trionychia, Kinosternoidea) does not always follow notations regarding areas of recent taxonomic change, in- a strict application of the ICZN, being more of a partial stability, or controversy, see the previous publications by use and deference to the Phylocode for these suprafamilial the Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG 2007a,b, categories. 2009, 2010), Rhodin et al. (2008), and the turtle checklist The list includes all currently recognized named taxa produced for CITES by Fritz and Havas (2007). The latter (species and subspecies) of modern turtles (extant after is also an excellent source for full synonymies, including 1500 AD). By “currently recognized” we mean those taxa nomina nuda, ex errore names, and type localities. that have not been demonstrably refuted or justifiably syn- The Turtle Taxonomy Working Group (TTWG) func- onymized in published literature, or whose resurrection is tions under the auspices of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and yet to receive acceptance. We have attempted to describe Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group (TFTSG), which oper- all recent published taxonomic recommendations in our ates under the umbrella of the IUCN (International Union annotations, even though we have not included all pro- for Conservation of Nature) and its Species Survival Com- posed changes in the checklist. mission (SSC). Our checklist of modern turtle taxa was Since there are sometimes also different interpretations