3 6o 



FOSSIL TURTLES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Cope, split into a number of genera. The type of Terrapene is "7". Carolina, and is extremely 

 variable. Three fossil species have been described by Cope T. eurypygia, T. mamochi, and 

 T . anguillulata but the latter appears to be identical with T . eurypygia. They all belong to 

 Pleistocene deposits. Another species, T. putnami, was described by Hay from supposed 

 Pliocene of Alifia River, Florida. 



The shell of Terrapene is usuallv nearly as broad as long, but that ot T . major is less than 

 three-fourths as broad as long. It is sometimes high and vaulted, but occasionally, as in T. 

 ornata, it is rather deprest. 



Nothing is known regarding the origin of the genus. It appears not improbable that it 

 has been derived from Emys, of which Emys orbicularis of Europe is the type. Of Emys there 



l8- 



Figs. 457 AND 458. Terrapene ornata. Xj. Specimen in A. M. N. II. 

 457. Carapace. 458. Plastron. 



is also an American species, E. blandingi-, an inhabitant of the northern United States and 

 Canada as far westward as Wisconsin. In Emys there is a transverse hinge between the hyo- 

 plastrals and the hypoplastrals, less perfect than in Terrapene, and the lobes thus formed are 

 somewhat movable on the carapace. It would require no great modifications of the shell and 

 skull of Emys to transform it into Terrapene. Emys is found in Pleistocene deposits of various 

 parts of Europe, and it is probable that the genus had its origin there, and that it migrated 

 thence to North America. Doubtless, Terrapene was developt in North America. 



Fig. 457 is a representation of the carapace of Terrapene ornata; while fig. 458 represents 

 rlu- plastron. The species now inhabits Kansas. 



Key to Fossil. Species of Terrapene. 



.-/'. Plastron very thick, the thickness of the hypoplastron being nearly one-third its length, putnami 

 A , Plastron much thinner. 



a 1 . Plastron with flat hinder lobe, its free border emarginated at end of femoro-anal sulcus. 



Middle of back flat transversely marnoi In 



ir. Plastron with hinder lobe convex, the free border not emarginate. Middle of back 



concave transversely canalieulata 



a'. Closely related to T. Carolina. Vertebral scutes wide, the fifth in contact with the 



tenth marginal eurypygia 



Terrapene putnami Hay. 

 Plate 56, figs. 7, 8; text-figs. 459-462. 



Terrapene putnami. Hay", Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., xxn, 1906, p. }0, figs. 4-7. 



The present species is based on a single hvpoplastral bone which was placed by Professor 

 F. W. Putnam, then of the American Museum of Natural History, in the hands of the writer 



