Cope, 1868
African helmeted and mud turtles
Recognition
The genera Pelomedusa (one species) and Pelusios (16 species) comprise this subfamily. Each has a hind foot with five claws. Pelomedusa lacks a plastral hinge and has its mesoplastra widely separated. Pelusios has a movable hinge between the pectoral and abdominal scutes and mesoplastra that are in contact at the plastral midline.