Chelodina kuchlingi

Chelodina (Chelydera) kuchlingi, commonly known as Kuchling's long-necked turtle or Kuchling's turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Chelodina kuchlingi
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Pleurodira
Family:	Chelidae
Genus:	Chelodina
Subgenus:	Chelydera
Species:	C. kuchlingi
Binomial name
Chelodina kuchlingi Cann, 1997[2]

Etymology

The specific name, kuchlingi, is in honor of Australian herpetologist Gerald Kuchling.^[3]

Taxonomy

Chelodina kuchlingi had been considered the same species as Chelodina rugosa for the last decade, however, the species has been resurrected^[1] and is now believed to come from the Northern Kimberley regions of Western Australia, Australia. Evidence it is a species has only recently been published with genetic results taken from the holotype showing it differed by 4% of loci from its nearest relatives.^[4] The species is only known from the holotype at this time.

Biology

Little is known about C. kuchlingi, and a number of research projects are underway to evaluate it.