Turtles 2 3 



anterior one half of the carapace (.548). An individual specimen with the ante- 

 rior two-thirds of the carapace (.549). An individual juvenile specimen consist- 

 ing of a partial carapace (nuchal, 1-2,4,8 neurals, pygal, 2-5, 7-11 left peripher- 

 als, 1-4 right peripherals, 3-8 right costals, 3rd left costal) and anterior lobe of 

 plastron missing left epiplastron (.550), left xiphiplastron (.550.1), 1 dorsal ver- 

 tebra (.550.2). 



Isolated elements: 1 nuchal (.588); associated nuchal and 1st left and 

 right costal with 1st left peripheral (USNM), 4 associated costals and single 

 peripheral (.566); 1 left and 1 right 1st costal (.567-.568); 1 left 3rd costal (with 

 rodent gnaw marks) (.569); 10 costals (.556-.565); 6 neurals (.570-.575); 3 right 

 1st peripherals (.576-.578); 1 left 5th peripheral (sub-adult) (.580); 1 left 6th 

 peripheral (.579); 1 partial plastron (.607); 2 anterior plastral lobes (2 UF), 1 par- 

 tial anterior plastral lobe (USNM), 2 pairs of associated epiplastra (.589-. 590); 4 

 left and 2 right epiplastra (3 USNM)(3 UF), 7 entoplastra (.581-.587); 4 left and 

 6 right hyoplastra (.601-.602)(4 USNM)(4 UF); 4 posterior plastral lobes 

 (.591)(1 USNM)(2 UF); 1 associated right hypoplastron and xiphiplastron 

 (.592); 7 right and 8 left hypoplastra (.593-.600)(3 USNM)(4 UF); 3 right and 3 

 left xiphiplastra (.603-.606)(l USNM)(1 UF); 2 partial skulls (.551-.552); 1 left 

 postorbital (.553); 2 left auditory bullae and quadrate (.554-. 555); 5 cervical ver- 

 tebrae (.614-.618); 3 humeri (.608-.610); 3 femora (.611-.613); 1 partial pelvic 

 girdle (.619). 



Characters used for identification: It is possible to distinguish the more complete 

 specimens of Emydoidea blandingii from Deirochelys reticularia on the basis of 

 the hinged plastral elements and the lack of carapacial sculpturing in the former 

 (Jackson 1978). Characters that distinguish this species from Terrapene Carolina 

 are given under that account. Isolated specimens can be distinguished from other 

 emydid turtles based on characters mentioned in other sections of our paper and 

 the following: 



Epiplastron - Emydoidea epiplastron can be contrasted to Terrapene 

 epiplastron in several ways. This element in Emydoidea differs from Terrapene 

 by the presence of a depression located on the dorsal surface and medially to the 

 anterior scute overlap area, which is less pronounced in Emydoidea. When com- 

 pared to specimens of Terrapene of comparable size, this element is less robust 

 and somewhat dorso-ventrally compressed. However, there is some difficulty in 

 distinguishing large specimens of T Carolina major from E. blandingii. This ele- 

 ment differs from Trachemys in that it is more elongated and thinner in E. 

 blandingii. 



Xiphiplastron - This element is most easily confused with Clemmys. 

 Preston and McCoy (1971), suggested that the xiphiplastron of Clemmys is wider 

 with respect to its length. Preston (1979) discusses additional characters used to 

 identify this element in Emydoidea. 



