North American Recent Soft-shelled Turtles (Family Trionychidae) Part 17

I have seen only three specimens from the Colorado River drainage in Texas. Two of these (UMMZ 92751, TU 14436) are characterized by much black pigmentation. A contrasting pattern of relatively large black marks occurs on the dorsal surface of the soft parts of the body, especially on the hind limbs, and the pale postocular stripes have thick black borders. UMMZ 92751, having a plastral length of 5.5 centimeters, has a juvenal pattern of widely-s.p.a.ced dark dots that lacks short lines. The other _muticus_ from the Colorado River (CM 3055), a large female 19.0 centimeters in plastral length, has ill-defined postocular stripes lacking dark borders, although a small dusky blotch occurs on the right side of the head.

_Comparisons._--_T. m. muticus_ differs from _T. m. calvatus_ in having pale stripes on the snout, a juvenal pattern of small dusky spots (usually lacking ocellate spots) and short lines, and a pale postocular stripe lacking thick, blackish borders (except in some turtles from the Colorado River system of Texas). One unique characteristic of _muticus_ is the short, dusky lines in the juvenal pattern; these marks, however, are occasionally absent.

_Remarks._--_Trionyx muticus_ generally has been considered a distinct species since its description by Lesueur (1827:263-66, Pl. 7); Wied-Neuwied (1865:53), at least, questioned the ident.i.ty of _muticus_, believing it to be based on a secondary s.e.xual difference of _T. spiniferus_. Lesueur did not designate a type in the description, and mentioned that he had seen only three specimens (_op.

cit._:264). Stejneger (1944:17-18) discussed two mounted specimens (Nos. 787 and 788) in the Natural History Museum at Paris, and mentioned that No. 787 was designated "... as the type on the printed label (although presumably not done by Lesueur)." Dr. Jean Guibe (_in litt._ September 24, 1959) informed me that Nos. 787 and 788 are numbers without value and correspond, respectively, to catalog numbers 8813 and 8814. In addition, the Museum possesses an alcoholic specimen, No. 564, obtained by Lesueur from the Wabash River, that seems to have been acquired by the museum after the publication of the original description. No. 8813 is regarded as a lectotype.

Gray (1864:87) described the species _microcephalus_ and questionably included it in the genus _Potamochelys_ Fitzinger, 1843; the locality was stated as "Sarawak (Wallace)." Gray especially noted the small elongate head and believed that the acquisition of adult specimens would prove that it belonged to a new genus. Later, Gray (1869:221) proposed the generic name _Callinia_ as a new name for _Aspidonectes_ as understood by Aga.s.siz (1857:403). Gray referred _microcephala_ to _Callinia_ (_op. cit._:214, 222) and recognized also _Amyda mutica_ (_op. cit._:212). Baur (1888:1121) remarked that "_Callinia microcephala_ Gray, of the British Museum, with the locality Sarawak, is _Amyda mutica_ Les." The species _microcephalus_ has since been considered a synonym of _Trionyx muticus_. Schmidt (1953:110) designated the type locality as New Harmony, Indiana.

Muller (1878:641) listed the species _Trionyx muticus_ from Mexico as follows: "*b. in Alcohol. Mexico. 1872. [2]." Smith and Taylor (1950:18, footnote) wrote that the record required confirmation. Webb and Legler (1960:24) questionably referred this record to the synonomy of _T. ater_, which resembles _muticus_. _T. muticus_ is not known to occur in Mexico. According to Dr. Lothar Forcart (_in litt._) of the Naturhistorische Museum in Basel, Switzerland, only one specimen on which Muller based his record is extant. My examination of this specimen reveals that it is a hatchling _T. s. emoryi_, plastral length 3.5 centimeters, bearing catalog number 1032; there are no additional data of collection.

Strecker and Williams (1927:16) mentioned one specimen of _muticus_ that was obtained at Christoval, Tom Green County, Texas, and I presume this is the basis for Pope's mention of this species from Tom Green County, Texas (1949:319). Although I do not doubt that _T.

muticus_ occurs in Tom Green County, this record possibly is based on _T. spinifer_ because, 1) there are no specimens of _muticus_ in the Strecker Museum from Tom Green County, but there is one specimen of _spinifer_ (SM 3282), and in none of Strecker's publications is there any mention of _spinifer_ from Tom Green County, and 2) Strecker had, at least once, misidentified the two species; his record of _muticus_ from Wallace Bayou, Louisiana (Strecker and Frierson, 1926:last page, no numbers), represents _T. spinifer pallidus_ (SM 2374-75).

_Specimens examined._--Total 261, as follows: ALABAMA: _County unknown_: USNM 118167, Wheeler Reservoir, Tennessee River.

ARKANSAS: _Franklin_: KU 19459-60, Ozark. _Lafayette_: KU 2938, 3057, Lewisville. _Lawrence_: CNHM 92003, Imboden; CNHM 92005, Powhatan; USNM 59214, Black River, Black Rock. _Marion_: TU 14606 (2), White River at Cotter. _Prairie_: KU 1831, 1868, 1870, 1874-76, 1930-31, 1957-63, 2294-302, 2305-06, 2308-09, 2838-41, 3002, White River, DeVall's Bluff.

KANSAS: _Barber_: USNM 95185-86, 1 mi. S Lake City. _Doniphan_: KU 1872, 1878, 1964, Doniphan Lake. _Douglas_: KU 2220, 16148, 23230, 40179, 50825-26, 55296-306, Kansas River, Lawrence; KU 45065-66, 1 mi.

N, 1.5 mi. W Lakeview. _Ford_: KU 51516, Ford. _Kearny_: KU 48216, 4 mi. S, 1.5 mi. W Deerfield. _Marshall_: KU 48228, Blue Rapids.

_Pottawatomie_: KU 48229-33, 48238, 2 mi. E Manhattan, Riley County.

_Reno_: USNM 95260, 6 mi. E Turon. _Riley_: KU 46861, 48234-35, 4 mi.

N Manhattan; KU 48236, 2 mi. NE Randolph. _Sedgwick_: UMMZ 95362, Wichita. _Shawnee_: UMMZ 95366-67, Topeka. _Sumner_: USNM 95415, 3 mi.

SE Oxford. _Was.h.i.+ngton_: KU 48237, 8 mi. S Hanover. _Woodson_: KU 45064, 1 mi. E, 2 mi. S Neosho Falls. _County unknown_: USNM 51528.

ILLINOIS: _Ca.s.s_: INHS 2146, Beardstown. _Coles_: INHS 1965-67, 3 mi.

S Charleston. _Jackson_: INHS 5894, 6.5 mi. N Aldridge, Union County; UMMZ 81570, Mississippi River. _Jasper_: INHS 2412, Rose Hill.

_Jersey_: INHS 2156-58, Grafton. _Mason_: INHS 2147, Cedar Creek.

_Mercer_: INHS 3458, Keithsburg. _Monroe_: INHS 4088, 3 mi. NE Columbia. _Morgan_: CNHM 6028, INHS 2148, Meredosia. _Pope_: CNHM 2463 (30), Golconda. _Schuyler_: UI 40-41, Crooked Creek. _Shelby_: INHS 2283, Holliday. _Wabash_: INHS 5228, Mt. Carmel.

INDIANA: _Daviess_: UMMZ 110234, White River, 1.5 mi. W Elnora.

_Jefferson_: USNM 8337, Madison. _Knox_: UMMZ 111880-81, "near" Decker Chapel. _Posey_: INHS 7278-80, 7447, TTC 798, Wabash River, 2-2.5 mi.

S New Harmony; UMMZ 110598, 8 mi. NW Mt. Vernon.

IOWA: _Allamakee_: UMMZ 92657, 1/4 mi. W Victory, Vernon County, Wisconsin; UMMZ 92658-64, Mississippi River, "near" Lansing. _Boon_: UMMZ 92665, Des Moines River at Ledge State Park. _Greene_: UMMZ 92666, 3.5 mi. N Scranton. _Muscatine_: USNM 53521, 54733-34, 54742, 60054-56, Fairport.

LOUISIANA: _Beauregard_: TU 1242, Sabine River, Merryville. _Caddo_: CNHM 7845, Gayles. _Catahoula_: USNM 113228, Jonesville. _Concordia_: USNM 99870, Red River, "near" Shaw. _Ouachita_: TU 5989, Monroe.

_Richland_: USNM 100422, Rayville. _Sabine_: TU 13163, 13294, Sabine River, 8 miles SW Negreet. _St. James_: TU 7543, Vacherie. _St. Mar_: USNM 100406, Berwick Bay, "near" Morgan City. _Vernon_: KU 41380, 46777, Sabine River NW Burr Ferry.

MINNESOTA: _Hennepin_: AMNH 4761-62, Fort Snelling.

MISSISSIPPI: _Was.h.i.+ngton:_ USNM 92605, Greenville. _County unknown_: USNM 115939.

MISSOURI: _Clark_: USNM 59267, 59278, Alexandria. _Daviess_: UMMZ 95505, Grand River, 1 mi. S Jameson. _St. Louis_: SM 2052, St. Louis.

_Wayne_: UMMZ 82823, St. Francis River.

NEBRASKA: _Webster_: UMMZ 89526, Republican River, 2 mi. E Inavale.

OKLAHOMA: _Cleveland_: OU 5480-81, 6473, South Canadian River, 4 mi.

SE Norman. _Hughes_: KU 50845, 4 mi. N Atwood. _Kay_: OU 9741, 8 mi. E Ponca City. _Le Flore_: OU 2148; OU 27390, Poteau River below Wister Dam. _Love_: OU 27472, Hickory Creek, 9 mi. E Marietta. _Major_: OU 8597, 7 mi. E Orienta. _Marshall_: KU 50827-29, 50848, 50853, OU 27593-94, TU 16077 (4), Lake Texoma, 2 mi. E Willis. _McIntosh_: OU 8993, 4 mi. W Onapa. _Oklahoma_: OU 10137, Lake Oberholser. _Payne_: UMMZ 89629, Cimarron River, 3 mi. E Ripley; UMMZ 90002, 19 mi. SE Stillwater. _Pottawatomie_: OU 25176-83, South Canadian River, 5 mi.

SW Shawnee. _Roger Mills_: OU 12472. _Sequoyah_: OU 9006, Illinois River, 2 mi. NE Gore. _Tulsa_: UMMZ 95032 (4), Arkansas River at Tulsa. _Woodward_: CNHM 15472-73; OU 8599-600, 5 mi. E, 1 mi. N Woodward.

SOUTH DAKOTA: _Yankton_: UMMZ 110499-500, Missouri River at Fort Randall; UMMZ 110501-02, Missouri River at Yankton.

TENNESSEE: _Benton_: UMMZ 53198, Trotter's Landing. _Lake_: USNM 102677, Reelfoot Lake. _Obion_: USNM 102910, Reelfoot Lake.

TEXAS: _Archer_: TU 16173, Lake Diversion. _Baylor_: TU 16172 (2), Lake Kemp. _Brazos_: TCWC 7250, Bryan. _Clay_: TCWC 7248-49, 7259-61, 8 mi. NW Ringgold, Montague County; TU 16667, 3 mi. W Byers.

_Grayson_: UI 2419, Lake Texoma. _Gregg_: SM 6685, near Gladewater; USNM 22629, Sabine River, 5 mi. S Longview. _Liberty_: TU 14416, 14375, Trinity River, "near" jct. with Big Creek. _McLennan_: BCB 6030, 6043, SM 2557, 2561, Lake Waco. _Matagorda_: CM 3055, Colorado River, Bay City. _San Saba_: TU 14436, San Saba River, 11 mi. NNW San Saba. _Tarrant_: UMMZ 92750, Worth Lake, Fort Worth. _Wharton_: UMMZ 92751, Colorado River, Wharton.

NO DATA: MCZ 1594 (erroneously recorded from Mobile, Alabama); USNM 029261, 59982.

_Records in the literature._--ARKANSAS: _Garland_: Hot Springs (Combs and Hurter _in_ Strecker, 1924:47). _Jefferson_: Pine Bluff.

_Pulaski_: Little Rock. _Sebastian_: Fort Smith (Hurter and Strecker, 1909:21).

ILLINOIS: _Adams_: Quincy (Garman _in_ Cahn, 1937:179). _Alexander_: Horseshoe Lake (Cahn, _loc. cit._); Cairo (Garman _in_ Cahn, _loc.

cit._). _Carroll_: 5 mi. S Savanna (Stejneger, 1944:24). _Clay_: Louisville. _Clinton_: Carlyle. _Crawford_: Robinson (Cahn, _loc.

cit._). _c.u.mberland_: Embarra.s.s River (Peters, 1942:183). _Fayette_: Vandalia. _Gallatin_: Shawneetown (Cahn, _loc. cit._). _Hanc.o.c.k_: between Warsaw and Hamilton (Stejneger, _op. cit._:23). _Jackson_: Murphysboro. _Jasper_: Newton. _Marion_: Centralia. _Mason_: Havana.

_Ma.s.sac_: symbol on map. _Menard_: Petersburg. _Peoria_: Peoria.

_Randolph_: Chester (Cahn, _loc. cit._). _Richland_: Olney (Stejneger, _loc. cit._). _Rock Island_: Rock Island. _St. Clair_: East St. Louis (Cahn, _loc. cit._). _Union_: (Cagle, 1942a:199). _White_: Carmi.

_Whiteside_: Sterling (Cahn, _loc. cit._). _Woodford_: Mackinaw Creek (Garman _in_ Cahn, _loc. cit._).

INDIANA: _Carroll_: "near" Delphi (Aga.s.siz, 1857:400). _Vigo_: Terre Haute (Blatchley, 1891:22).

IOWA: _Des Moines_: "near" Burlington (Aga.s.siz, 1857:400). _Dubuque_: Mississippi River, 8 mi. S Dubuque (Goldsmith, 1945:447). _Lee_: Keokuk (Stejneger, 1944:23).

KANSAS: _Barber_: 5 mi. SE Lake City; Salt River, S of Aetna (Burt, 1935:321). _Cowley_: symbols on map (Smith, 1956:157). _Gray_: Arkansas River, 1 mi. W Cimarron (Clarke, 1956:215). _Leavenworth_: Missouri River, Fort Leavenworth (Brumwell, 1951:207-08). _McPherson_: Lindsborg (Breukelman and Smith, 1946:112). _Pratt_: State Fish Hatchery, "near" Pratt (Taylor, 1933:269). _Trego_: Wakeeney (Stejneger, 1944:24).

KENTUCKY: _Fleming_: Fox. _Rowan_: Triplett (Welter and Carr, 1939:130). _County unknown_: Ohio River (Funkhouser, 1925:71).

LOUISIANA: _De Soto_: Bayou Pierre (Strecker and Frierson, 1926:last page, no numbers).

MINNESOTA: _Houston_: Brownsville (Breckenridge, 1944:183). _Winona_: Homer (Stejneger, 1944:23).

MISSISSIPPI: _Warren_: Vicksburg (Cook, 1946:185).

MISSOURI: _Jackson_: Fry's Lake (Anderson, 1942:219). _Jefferson_: Meramec River (Boyer and Heinze, 1934:199). _County unknown_: Osage River (Aga.s.siz, 1857:400).

NEBRASKA: _Franklin_: 1/2 mi. S Franklin; 1 mi. SE Naponee. _Furnas_: 4 mi. E Cambridge. _Lancaster_: Lincoln. _Nemaha_: Peru. _Thayer_: (Hudson, 1942:102). _Thomas_: (Smith, 1958:36).

NEW MEXICO: _San Miguel_: Conchos River above Conchos Dam (s.h.i.+elds and Lindeborg, 1956:120).

OHIO: _Brown_: mouth White Oak Creek, Higginsport. _Muskingum_: "near"

Gaysport. _Pike_: Scioto River in Camp Creek, Newton and Scioto Twps.; Pike Lake. _Scioto_: Scioto River in Clay and Rush Twps.; Scioto River, Portsmouth; Scioto River, 3 mi. N Rushtown. _Tuscarawas_: Tuscarawas River, 2 mi. below Gnadenhutten; "near" Winfield.

_Was.h.i.+ngton_: Dam No. 2, Muskingum River, northern edge of Marietta; Ohio River, 4 mi. SE Marietta (Conant, 1951:156, 264).

OKLAHOMA: _Alfalfa_: 6.5 mi. NE Ingersoll. _Comanche_: Camp Boulder, Wichita National Forest (Ortenburger and Freeman, 1930:188).

_McCurtain_: _Pushmataha_: (Ortenburger, 1927:100).

PENNSYLVANIA: _Allegheny_: Neville Island, Ohio River below Pittsburgh (Atkinson, 1901:154). _Clarion_: Allegheny River at Foxburg (Netting, 1944:85).