Employment, Economic Development and Innovation Development Economic Employment, of Department

Queensland east coast freshwater identification guide for the Eel Fishery PR10_5607

This guide has been developed for use by commercial fishers operating in the Queensland Eel Fishery for reporting in the of conservation interest (SOCI) logbook. This is not a comprehensive freshwater turtle guide for Queensland and contains only those freshwater turtle species which inhabit the area covered by the Queensland Eel Fishery. Information contained in this guide was modified by Fisheries Queensland with permission from the Department of Environment and Resource Management.

© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, 2011. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior written permission of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information. Enquiries about reproduction, including downloading or printing the web version, should be directed to [email protected]. gov.au or telephone 13 25 23 (Queensland residents) or +61 7 3404 6999. Scutes (plates) on carapace (top) 7 8 6 5 9 4 10 2 3 3 1 11 4 2 12 1 nuchal costal marginal 12 1 no nuchal 4 11 2 1 3 2 10 3 9 4 8 5 6 7

1 Scutes on plastron (bottom) gular pectoral intergular suture = the connection between two scutes

2 of Cape York to Port Douglas

a b Stripes along neck and legs. Red-eared slider turtle ( spp.) Declared pest Forelimbs with 4 claws. Forelimbs with 5 claws. Intergular (a) clearly longer than suture between pectorals (b). Cann’s turtle ( canni) No stripes on legs or neck. SOCI code: CT

Nuchal usually absent. Nuchal usually present. Neck with pointed spikes. No pointed spikes on neck. Intergular same width or wider than gular. Smooth, flat scales behind eye. Saw-shelled turtle Krefft’s River turtle (Wollumbinia latisternum) ( macquarii krefftii) SOCI code: ST SOCI code: KRT

3 Turtles of Burdekin and Far

a b Stripes along neck and legs. Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys spp.) Declared pest Forelimbs with 4 claws. Forelimbs with 5 claws. Intergular (a) clearly longer than suture between pectorals (b).

Cann’s turtle No stripes on legs or neck. () SOCI code: CT

Nuchal usually Nuchal usually present. absent. Smooth, flat scales Raised and rounded behind eye. bumps/spikes No pointed spikes behind eye. on neck. Krefft’s River turtle ( krefftii) SOCI code: KRT Intergular same width Intergular narrower or wider than gular. than gular. Neck with pointed Neck with rounded spikes. bumps. Saw-shelled turtle Irwin’s turtle (Wollumbinia ( irwini) latisternum) SOCI code: IT SOCI code: ST 4 Turtles of Fitzroy/Burnett/Mary

Stripes along neck and legs. Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys spp.) Declared pest Forelimbs with 4 claws. Forelimbs with 5 claws.

No stripes on legs or neck.

a a b b

Intergular (a) clearly Intergular length (a) 2nd and 3rd costal 2nd and 3rd costal longer than suture similar to length match up with 7th match up with 6th between pectorals (b). of suture between marginal. 3rd and 4th marginal. 3rd and Fitzroy River catchment only pectorals (b). costal match up with 4th costal match up Eastern snake- 9th marginal. with 8th marginal. necked turtle Broad-shelled (Chelodina river turtle longicollis) (Chelodina ( leukops) SOCI code: EST expansa) SOCI code: FRT SOCI code: BSRT

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2nd and 3rd costal match up with 7th marginal. 3rd and 4th costal match up with 9th marginal.

Nuchal usually absent. Nuchal usually present.

Smooth, flat scales Small raised scales behind eye. behind eye. No pointed spikes Neck with pointed on neck. spikes. Krefft’s River turtle (Elusor macrurus) (Emydura SOCI code: MRT macquarii krefftii) Intergular same width Intergular narrower SOCI code: KRT or wider than gular. than gular.

Neck with pointed spikes. Neck with rounded Mary River catchment only bumps. Saw-shelled turtle (Wollumbinia White-throated latisternum) snapping turtle SOCI code: ST () 6 SOCI code: WST Turtles of

Stripes along neck and legs. Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys spp.) Declared pest Forelimbs with 4 claws. Forelimbs with 5 claws.

No stripes on legs or neck.

a a b b

Intergular (a) clearly Intergular length (a) Nuchal usually present. longer than suture similar to length No pointed spikes between pectorals (b). of suture between on neck. pectorals (b). Eastern snake- Smooth, flat scales necked turtle Broad-shelled behind eye. (Chelodina river turtle Macquarie River longicollis) (Chelodina Turtle SOCI code: EST expansa) (Emydura macquarii SOCI code: BSRT macquarii) Nuchal usually absent. Neck with pointed SOCI Code: MQRT spikes. Intergular same width or wider than gular Saw-shelled turtle (Wollumbinia latisternum) SOCI code: ST 7 Freshwater turtles of Queensland Emydura Wollumbinia Elseya Trachemys 8 Freshwater turtles of Queensland Rheodytes canni/longicollis Chelodina Elusor rugosa/expansa Chelodina 9 PR10_5607