16. 2 
Taylor: Philippine Turtles 
127 
Description of species . — (From a living adult specimen/® 
belonging to W, Schultze, Manila, P. I., collected in Palawan.) 
Head moderately large, completely retractile. Snout slightly 
peaked just above nostrils, curving in profile from nostrils to 
mouth; nostrils anterior, very close together; upper jaw with 
a distinct bicuspid hook ; top of head covered with smooth skin, 
skin in temporal region and on side of head distinctly lined and 
broken; a slight elevation across skull just behind eyes; head 
somewhat depressed in occipital region; carapace smooth, dis- 
tinctly flattened on top, Avith an obscure keel from nuchal along 
median line to supracaudals, more prominent posteriorly ; a slight 
broad depression on each side of keel; five vertebral shields, all 
distinctly broader than long, except first, which is as broad as 
long, all narrower than the three anterior costals; costals dis- 
tinctly broader than long, except last, which is longer than broad ; 
eleven marginals on each side; nuchal very small, a little longer 
than broad ; supracaudals moderate, not or scarcely notched be- 
hind ; carapace somewhat serrated on posterior border, smoothly 
rounded laterally and with an irregular border anteriorly; plas- 
tron about as large as opening of shell, anterior part extending 
a little beyond anterior edge of carapace, posterior part not 
extending as far as carapace; a transverse hinge between hyo- 
plastron and hypoplastron, this hinge not corresponding to suture 
between pectoral and abdominal shields ; however, plastron flex- 
ible on suture between pectorals and abdominal shields; gular 
shields triangular, their anterior edges truncate, forming a 
straight line, their mutual suture much longer than that between 
humerals; a slight but distinct notch between humerals and 
gulars on edge of plastron; suture between humerals and pec- 
torals forming a wavy line; suture between pectorals and ab- 
dominals curving strongly, convex posteriorly; mutual suture 
of pectorals longer than that of other shields ; suture of pectorals 
with marginals much shorter than that of abdominals with mar- 
ginals ; suture between abdominals and femorals curved slightly 
convex posteriorly; suture between anals and femorals strongly 
curved convex anteriorly ; anals with a curved notch, their mutual 
suture longer than that of femorals; intercalary, axillary, and 
inguinal shields very small ; on anterior part of humerals a trace 
of a straight suture corresponding to hinge; the two elements 
formed by the suture are entirely coalesced; anterior part of 
foreleg covered with irregular enlarged shields ; digits five, partly 
I am under obligation to Mrs. W. Schultze for the privilege of de- 
scribing this specimen. 
169667 2 
