540 ME. E. LYDEKKEE ON A NEW EMYDINE CHELONIAN 



44. On a neiu Emydine Chelonian from the Pliocene of India. 



By U. Ltdekkee, Esq., B.A., E.G.S., &e. (B.ead June 23, 



1886.) 



[Plate XV.] 



Among a small collection of fossils from the Pliocene Siwaliks of 

 Perim (Piram) Island, Gulf of Cambay, kindly forwarded to me by 

 Col. J. W. Watson, the Political Agent at Kattiawar, there is the 

 shell of an emydine chelonian which indicates a species distinct from 

 any of those which I have recently described from the Siwaliks*. 



The specimen (Plate XY.) consists of the nearly complete shell, and 

 on the dorsal surface exhibits both the impressions of the epidermal 

 horny plates and the sutures separating the subjacent scutes. The plas- 

 tron, although considerably damaged, is seen to have no joint through- 

 out its length, and is anchylosed to the carapace ; there are two pygal 

 plates, and the vertebral scutes are relatively long and narrow. These 

 features indicate that the specimen belongs to the group of the Emy- 

 didse containing the genera Geoemyda, Clemmysf, Pangshura, and 

 BatagurX. That it does not belong to Pangshura is at once evident ; 

 aud its general characters lead to the conclusion that it should be 

 referred either to Clemmys or Batagur, In the case of medium-sized 

 fossil species it is frequently a matter of extreme difficulty to say to 

 which of these two allied genera they should be referred ; but as the 

 fossil apparently comes nearest to certain species of Clemmys, and is 

 not of the large dimensions characteristic of many species of Batagur y 

 I think it may be referred to the former genus. 



The rim of the anterior marginal scutes has been broken off, and 

 there is some imperfection on the left side of the carapace. The 

 carapace is well vaulted and of great relative width, the length being 

 8, the width 7, and the height 4'4 inches ; the condition of the 

 sutures indicates that the specimen is adult. 



It cannot be determined whether the anterior margin of the cara- 

 pace was notched or not, but the posterior margin is entire. The 

 nuchal plate was evidently narrow, and broadest posteriorly. The 

 first vertebral plate is narrowest anteriorly and has a tendency to 

 a bell-shape, its length being very nearly equal to its width. The 

 second and third vertebrals are subhexagonal and relatively broad. 

 The fourth is not larger than the third, and is narrowest posteriorly ; 

 it gives off a small process in the middle of the anterior border which 

 projects into the third vertebral. The fifth vertebral is of normal 

 form. There is an interrupted vertebral keel, which forms well- 

 marked prominences on the fourth and fifth vertebral scutes, but no 

 trace of costal keels. There are well-marked costal areolae, which 

 are nearer to the marginal than to the vertebral plates. It will be 



* See 'Paleeontologia Indica,' ser. 10, vol. iii. pt. 6 (1885). 



t Eor the sense in which this genus is employed see ' Palseontologia Indica,' 

 torn. cit. p. 170. 



X The small forms separated by Gray as Morenia are referred by some writers 

 to this genus, and by others to Clemmys. 



