Peters, 1854
Central African flapshell turtles
Recognition
This is one of the two genera of tropical African softshells (both with two species) with cutaneous femoral flaps. The carapace is oval, and is anteriorly sculptured in one species. No enlarged tubercles occur on the anterior rim above the neck, and no prenuchal bone is present. A preneural and seven or eight neurals in a continuous series are present. There are eight pairs of costals; the 7th and 8th, or only the 8th, are in contact medially. The plastron has the hyo-hypoplastra fused, the epiplastra short and straight, and seven callosities in adults. Callosities are always present on the gular region. Cutaneous flaps occur on the plastron over the hind limb sockets which conceal the limbs when they are withdrawn. No maxillary ridging occurs, and the intermaxillary foramen is small. The prefrontal does not contact the vomer. The jugal is in broad contact with the parietal. The toes are webbed.
Species identification
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