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Review
. 2011;6(11):e27373.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027373. Epub 2011 Nov 8.

Marine reptiles

Arne Redsted Rasmussen  1 , John C Murphy, Medy Ompi, J Whitfield Gibbons, Peter Uetz
Affiliations
Review

Marine reptiles

Arne Redsted Rasmussen et al. PLoS One. 2011.
No abstract available

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: While some of the data described here were collected, the Reptile Database was hosted by the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). The JCVI thought that the Reptile Database used the JCVI brand name without permission and fired the corresponding author (PU) as a consequence. However, PU does not believe that there was any conflict, just to indicate this fact.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Phylogeny of sea turtles.
(A) Phylogenetic relationships of amniotes with the position of sea turtles relative to other vertebrates. Modified after .
Figure 2
Figure 2. Distribution of sea turtles.
(A) Cheloniidae. (B) Dermochelyidae. From . Detailed maps for individual species can be found in .
Figure 3
Figure 3. Malaclemys terrapin.
This species is the only terrestrial turtle with significant adaptions to coastal habitats. Photo courtesy of J.D. Willson, by permission.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Distribution of the saltwater crocodile, Crocodylus porosus.
The range is shown in yellow. “+” symbols represent the Pacific islands that are also inhabited by this species, including the Solomon islands and Vanuatu. Adapted from http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/cst_cpor_dh_map.htm.
Figure 5
Figure 5. A typical sea snake, Hydrophis belcheri.
Note the flattened tail as an adaptation to swimming in the open sea.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Distribution of marine snakes.
Terrestrial distribution represents terrestrial elapids (brown), marine distribution represents sea snakes, i.e. the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the Elapidae (blue). Dark blue: homalopsid snakes along the Asian and Australian coasts. Red: North-American Natricidae, green: neotropical Dipsadidae.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Sea snakes and their relationship to other Elapid snake genera.
Note that the the “true” sea snakes (Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae) are not closely related but nest within the terrestrial elapids. Generic names represent multiple species. The relationships among the many species of Hydrophis have not been resolved (see text for details). Modified after .
Figure 8
Figure 8. Several families of snakes have independently adapted to saltwater.
Families with species that live in brackish or marine environments are shown in red.
Figure 9
Figure 9. A homalopsid snake (Cerberus rynchops).
See text for details.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Uetz P. 2011;15 The Reptile Database, Available: http://www.reptile-database.org, Accessed 2011 Sep.
    1. Naro-Maciel E, Le M, FitzSimmons NN, Amato G. Evolutionary relationships of marine turtles: A molecular phylogeny based on nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2008;49:659–662. - PubMed
    1. Liner EA. Herpetological Circular: SSAR; 1994. Scientific and common names for the Amphibians and Reptiles of Mexico in English and Spanish. pp. 1–113.
    1. Standora EA, Spotila JR. Temperature-dependent sex determination in sea turtles. Copeia 1985. 1985:711–722.
    1. Putman NF, Endres CS, Lohmann CM, Lohmann KJ. Longitude perception and bicoordinate magnetic maps in sea turtles. Curr Biol. 2011;21:463–466. - PubMed

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