Karyotypes and evolutionary relationships of trionychoid turtles.

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Abstract
Standard karyotypes of carettochelyid and trionychid turtles are similar. The pitted-shelled turtle, Carettochelys insculpta (2n = 68), and 3 spp. of soft-shelled turtles, Trionyx spiniferus, T. ferox and T. sinensis (2n = 66), were examined. Chromosomal banding patterns are the same among the species of Trionyx studied, but substantially different from non-trionychoid turtles. Karyotypic similarity supports previous morphological studies that indicate the families Carettochelyidae and Trionychidae are closely related, or that both families are distantly related to other turtles.