Category
page 1Turtles of South America

leatherback sea turtle
species of reptile

Chelonia mydas
species of sea turtle

loggerhead sea turtle
species of turtle

hawksbill sea turtle
species of reptile

Lepidochelys olivacea
species of turtle

Mata mata
species of turtle

Chelonoidis nigra nigra
subspecies of giant tortoise

red-footed tortoise
species of reptile
Galápagos tortoise
Chelonoidis species complex in the Galápagos Islands; species with many subspecies

Yellow-footed tortoise
Species of tortoise

Arrau turtle
species of turtle
Trachemys
Trachemys is a genus of turtles belonging to the family Emydidae. Members of this genus are native to the Americas, ranging from the Midwestern United States south to northern Argentina, but one subspecies, the red-eared slider (T. scripta elegans), has been introduced worldwide. Species under this genus are commonly referred to as sliders.

Yellow-spotted river turtle
species of reptile

Big-headed Amazon River turtle
species of reptile

Podocnemis
Podocnemis is a genus of aquatic turtles, commonly known as South American river turtles, in the family Podocnemididae. The genus consists of six extant species occurring in tropical South America. Four additional species are known only from fossils. These turtles have pig-like noses but are not closely related to the pig-nosed turtle.
Twist-necked turtle
species of reptile

Argentine snake-necked turtle
species of reptile

Magdalena River turtle
species of reptile

Brazilian snake-necked turtle
species of reptile

Big-headed pantanal swamp turtle
species of reptile

Red-headed Amazon River turtle
species of reptile

Phrynops hilarii
species of reptile

Rhinoclemmys
Rhinoclemmys is a genus of turtles in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae), the only genus in the subfamily Rhinoclemmydinae. Member species of the genus are commonly known as the Neotropical wood turtles and are the only geoemydids known from the Americas. As such, they have adapted to a wide range of habitats, which is reflected in the species' common names.

Chaco side-necked turtle
species of reptile

Tortuga Cabezonus Vergorus
species of reptile

Hydromedusa
Hydromedusa, commonly known as the South American snake-necked turtles, is a genus of turtles in the family Chelidae. They are quite closely related to the South American side-necked swamp turtles (Acanthochelys) and the snake-necked turtles of the Australian-Melanesian region (Chelodina), but less closely to the spine-necked river turtles of South America (Podocnemididae) which belong to a more modern lineage of Pleurodira.

Scorpion mud turtle
species of reptile

Brazilian radiolated swamp turtle
species of reptile
Six-tubercled Amazon River turtle
species of reptile

Dahl's toad-headed turtle
species of reptile

Maranhão slider
species of reptile

Phrynops geoffroanus
species of reptile

Acanthochelys
Acanthochelys is a genus of turtles, the spiny swamp turtles, in the family Chelidae, subfamily Chelinae, found in South America. Until recently, the species of this genus were considered to be members of the genus Platemys, but were moved to the resurrected genus originally described by Gray (1873) based on the type species by monotypy Acanthochelys spixii.

D'Orbigny's slider
species of reptile

Spot-legged turtle
species of reptile

White-lipped mud turtle
species of reptile

Vanderhaege's toad-headed turtle
species of reptile
Savanna side-necked turtle
species of reptile

Brown wood turtle
species of reptile

Red side-necked turtle
species of reptile
Mesoclemmys gibba
species of reptile

Phrynops
Sometimes called the bearded toadheads but better known by their scientific name of Phrynops this genus of turtles has often been a bit of a dumping ground for the short-necked South American turtles of the family Chelidae.

Colombian slider
species of reptile

Phrynops williamsi
species of reptile

Hoge's side-necked turtle
species of reptile

Fernandina Island Galápagos tortoise
species of reptile
Mesoclemmys raniceps
species of reptile

Zulia toad-headed sideneck
species of reptile

Mesoclemmys nasuta
species of reptile

Mesoclemmys tuberculata
species of reptile

Phrynops tuberosus
species of reptile

South American snapping turtle
species of reptile

Chelonoidis donfaustoi
species of turtle

Mesoclemmys perplexa
species of reptile
Chelonoidis guentheri
species of reptile
Chelonoidis vandenburghi
species of reptile