The T, careniferus, Gray, was founded on a turtle from the Moluccas received
from the Leyden Museum, The type is now much bleached, and as the skull has
not been removed, it is impossible to say whether it is specifically the same as
T. javanicus, with which Gray1 has regarded it as identical, The head is broader
than in T. perocellatus, Cantor, like which the carapace is covered with large
pointed tubercles, which is also a character of T. javanicus, to which, in form, and
in the shape of its head, it has a strong resemblance. I t appears to attain to
a larger size than T. perocellatus, Cantor; and in specimens of larger size than
the largest T. perocellatus, it is observable that the plates of the plastron are
considerably smaller, and that the rugosities are apparently not developed. The
entoplastral piece is not so outwardly expanded as in T. perocellatus, and the
xiphiplastra are much more elongated. The epiplastra are widely apart over the
entoplastron, as in specimens referable to T. stellatus. I t would seem in all its
characters to be most closely allied to T. javanicus, if not identical with it.
In describing the Burmese species, Theobald refers, as I have said, the T. pe-
guensis, Gray, to the T. stellatus, var. japon., Geoff. This variety from Japan, however,
was not indicated by Geoffroy, but by Temminck and $chlegel, Moreover,
there are apparently two species of Trionyx found in Japan, one corresponding to
the supposed foregoing variety of T. stellatus, Geoff., but which is identical with
T. perocellatus, which is the T. smensis, Wiegm,,8 and which appears to have been
more recently re-described by Brandt3 under the name of T, schlegeli ; the T. stella-
tus, Geoff., and T.javcmicus, Geoffroy, being seemingly synonymous terms and refer-
ing to the same animal as T. careniferus, Gray. I have examined animals referable
to T. stellatus or to T. javanicus, and I cannot allow that the T. peguensis, Qray,
has any affinity with them.
The other Trionyx found in Japan besides T. smensis, "Wiegm., is a form allied
to T. javanicus, Geoff., and which Gray first referred to D. subplana, and which has
been figured by Schlegel4 under the name of T. japonicus. I t appears to me to
be distinct from the so-called D, subplana, Gray, and from T. javanicus.
I give two figures of this Irawady Trionyx—one of an adult, and the other of a
moderately young individual still in the ocellated stage; and I would observe that
in its ocelli and general characters, this species may almost be regarded as the representative
in Burma of the Gangetic species T. hu/rum, with its young stage T, oceU
latus, the skull having the symphysis of the lower jaw long antero-posteriorly, as in
T. hurum, but with a mesial ridge instead of a furrow. I retain Gray’s name for
the species, viz., T. peguensis, as its use is not likely to be productive of erroi,
Head moderately broad and pointed. Greatest breadth across the tympanic
region, not broad before the eyes. Tubular portion of nostrils rather long; upper
lip full. Rather abruptly depressed from between the eyes downwards to the»
? Hand List, Shd. Bept., 1873, p. 85.
3 Nora. Acta. Leop. Carol., rol. zrii, p. 189.
3 Bull. Phys. Math, de 1’ Acad. Imp. des Sc., St. Petersb,, vol. xvi, No. 67, p. I l l , 6th June 1857.
4 Abild. nencr Amph., pi. xxxi, 1837-44.
IItI
tubular nostrils. Toes broadly webbed. Claws moderately strong. Tail not long,
projecting in both sexes beyond the fleshy carapace, but longest in the male. Carapace
an elongated oval, with a vertebral ridge more or less prominent, with the carapace
external to this marked on either side, with two to three raised wavy lines or
rudimentary ridges, the line next the vertebral ridge being the longest, the others
external to it more interrupted. A swelling over the hinder portion of the nuchal and
inner portion of first costals. The nuchal flap of the cartilaginous carapace covered
with transverse series.of elongated eminences placed side by side; the broad hinder
portion of the fleshy carapace covered with about thirteen longitudinal rows of little
somewhat backwardly pointed fleshy knobs, one longitudinal series being continuous
with the vertebral ridge and others with the finer wavy lines already described.
These knob-like eminences are continued more or less over all the cartilaginous area
and osseous carapace, in longitudinal parallel lines. The sculpturing of the carapace is
somewhat coarse, and the raised reticulating lines tend to enclose circular depressions.
Thé cartilaginous area of the plastron has the general characters in Trionyx. The
callosities are well developed, but in the female figured, it will be observed that
a considerable area was still open in the centre. The epiplastra are rather long and
slender; they do not meet below on the entoplastron, which has moderately divergent
rami, and is characterized by bring somewhat feeble and does not show any traée
of the growth of a sculptured surface. The other plates are broadly covered with
the callous growths, and the sculpturing adheres to the same type as on the carapace,
consisting of a rather coarse reticulation of raised lines enclosing spaces, the lines
tending on the hyo- and hypoplastral pieces to follow the outline of the inner and
outer margins of these plates,1 and the outlines of the xiphiplastron. The latter
plates tend to meet in the mesial line anteriorly, but they are slightly divergent
posteriorly.
In the young, the vertebral ridge on the carapace is well pronounced, and tends
to become double and to have a finely nodose appearance. The lines or fine ridges
also are more regular and parallel, and each consists chiefly of a longitudinal aggregation
of little fleshy eminences which on the hinder portion of the cartilaginous
carapace are larger and more apart and somewhat spinose on their hinder margins.
The swelling of the nuchal and costals is present. In the young figured, the sculptured
callosities of the plastron have not yet appeared.
Inches.
Greatest length of osseous carapace io
„ breadth of „ „ ' . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Length from tip of epiplastrons to end of xiphiplastron . . . . | a 10‘20
Breadth of plastron greatest , . , , , - „ , - . , 9'50
Length of the 15 caudal vertebra $ . , . , «-go
The upper surface of the head and neck yellow, reticulated on the head, with
broad black interrupted lines not extending on to the under surface, nor passing
below the upper half of the upper lip. The. portion behind the occiput, and the
upper surface of the neck black-spotted, in the adult more or less finely reticulated.
1 They are represented too concentric in the plate.