Chelodina parkeri, a new species of chelid turtle from New Guinea, with a discussion of Chelodina siebenrocki Werner, 1901

Abstract

Chelodina parkeri, a new species of chelid turtle from New Guinea, is described. Seventeen specimens of the new species are compared to a series of 27 specimens referable to Chelodina siebenrocki Werner, 1901, also from New Guinea. C. parkeri differs from all other Chelodina species in having a light, vermieulate color pattern on the dorsal surface of the head and the mandible. Various odier shell and skull characters also differentiate it from other Chelodina. C. parkeri is endemic to southern New Guinea and is apparently restricted to large inland grass swamps surrounding Lakes Murray and Balimo and the Fly and Aramia Rivers. It is most closely related to C. siebenrocki. C. siebenrocki is found on the south coast of New Guinea and on certain islands in the Torres Strait. It is most closely related to Chelodina rugosa Ogilby, 1890 from northern Australia and may be synonymous with this species. However, the small amount of northern Australian material currently available makes it impossible to draw a conclusion concerning the relationship of these two animals.