153 



Genus AROMOCHELYS, Gray. 



Aromochelys, Gray, 1855, S5, 46; Goniochelys and Ozotheca, Agassiz, 

 1857, 4, i, 423, 424; Cinostermim, in part, Boulenger, 1889, 84, 33. 



Shell of the young with a prominent keel, which may persist in the 

 -adult or more or less disappear. Plastron lacking much of filling up 

 the opening of the carapace, the hinder lobe not more than one-half the 

 width of the carapace. The lobes little movable on the middle portion, 

 .and the whole length of the plastron considerably less than that of the 

 •carapace. Suture between the pectorals longer than that between the 

 humerals- 



Gular scute present ; head with yellow streaks from snout. 



A. odorata, p. 153. 



-No gular scute ; head with dark spots, no streaks of yellow. 



A. carinata. Appendix. 



Aromochelys odorata, (Bo?c.). 

 3Iusk Turtle. 



Testudo odorata, Bosc. , 1803, 69, 189 ; Sternothierus odoratus, Holbrook, 

 1842, 54, i, 133, pi. 22 ; Aromochelys odorata, Gray, 1855, 25, 46 ; Ozoth- 

 eca odorata, Agassiz, 1857, 4, i. 425, and ii, pi, iv, figs. 1-6 ; Cinostemum 

 ■odoratum, Boulenger, 1889, S4, 37. 



Body of the young broadly oval and with a prominent keel, toward 

 which the shell slopes roof-like. As the animal grows older the shell 

 becomes proportionally narrower, the middle of the back more rounded, 

 and the keel almost disappears. The first vertebral scute is long and 

 narrow. Plastron narrow, leaving wide gaps between it and the cara- 

 pace. The anterior lobe slightly movable on the transverse hinge. It 

 extends forward from this hinge only about two-thirds the distance to 

 the anterior end of the carapace. A small, triangular gular scute pres- 

 ent. Suture between the humerals not quite equal to that between the 

 pectorals. Posterior lobe not more than one-half the width of the cara- 

 pace, falling considerably short of the hinder end of the shell ; notched 

 behind. Plastral scutes of the adults separated by tracts of soft skin. 



Head large, snout projecting, jaws strong, the lower hooked. Toes 

 extensively webbed. Soft skin everywhere provided with prominent 

 fleshy papillie. Tail of males projecting beyond the carapace, coiled at 

 the tip, and furnished with a small nail. Posterior borders of the 

 thighs and lower leg with each a patch of horny, sharp-edged scales. 



Color of the carapace brownish or horn-color ; uniform or spotted and 

 striped with dark brown. Upper surface of head, neck and limbs 

 brown ; the inferior surfaces paler. Head with two yellow stripes run- 

 ning back from the snout ; one over, the other below, the eye. Plastron 



