THE REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA - TURTLES

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

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REPTILES OF QUEENSLAND

COLUBRID SNAKES - Colubridae Homalopsidae Mud Snakes

QUEENSLAND PYTHON SNAKES - Pythonidae

Qld ELAPID SNAKES - Elapidae Cobras Coral Snakes

QLD SEA SNAKES - Hydrophiinae Laticaudidae Sea Kraits

FILE SNAKES - Acrochordidae

Qld BLIND SNAKES - Worm Snakes - Typhlopidae Ramphotyphlops

TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

QUEENSLAND DRAGON LIZARDS Agamas Agamidae

GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

Queensland LEGLESS LIZARDS Pygopodidae Pygopods

Queensland MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Skinks of Queensland

Qld CROCODILES Crocodylia Crocodilia Saltwater freshwater estuarine

REPTILES OF THE WORLD SPECIES LISTS


TURTLES OF QUEENSLAND - SPECIES LIST

ORDER: Testudines

Northern Snapping Turtle

FRESHWATER TURTLES OF QUEENSLAND
Family:Cheluidae
* Indicates recent updates or new page.

COMMON NAME
(Internal Links)

SCIENTIFIC NAME
(External Links)

DISTRIBUTION

Cann's Long-necked Turtle

Chelodina canni (was C. novaeguineae canni and C. rankini)
(Subgenus: Chelodina)

NT, Qld

Broad-Shelled River Turtle

Chelodina expansa
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NSW, Qld, SA, Vic

Eastern Snake-necked Turtle or Common Long-necked Tortoise

Chelodina longicollis
(Subgenus: Chelodina)

NSW, ACT, Qld, SA, Vic
(Tas - introduced)

* Northern Long-necked Turtle

* Chelodina rugosa rugosa (previously called C. oblonga for a while)
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NT, Qld, WA:- Northern Australia (from the Cape York to the Kimberley District of WA

*Southern Snapping Turtle or White-throated Snapping Turtle

Elseya albagula
(Subgenus: Pelochmastes)

Qld

Northern Snapping Turtle

Elseya dentata
(Subgenus Elseya)

NT, Qld, WA

Irwin's Turtle

Elseya irwini (=stirlingi)
(Subgenus: Pelochmastes)

Qld

*Gulf Snapping Turtle

Elseya lavarackorum
(Subgenus: Pelochmastes)

Gulf of Carpentaria NT, Qld

Mary River Turtle

Elusor macrurus
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

Qld

Cooper Creek Turtle

Emydura macquarii emmotti
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

SA, Qld (Lake Eyre Basin)

* Krefft's River Turtle

Emydura macquarii krefftii
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

(Central coastal Qld)

* Macquarie Turtle or Common Short-necked Turtle

Emydura macquarii macquarii
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

NSW, ACT, SA, Vic, Qld

* Brisbane Short-necked Turtle or Brisbane River Turtle
(INVALID SUBSPECIES)

Emydura macquarii signata
(INVALID SUBSPECIES)
Now called Emydura macquarii macquarii

Qld (SE Qld ), NE NSW?

* Krefft's River Turtle

Emydura macquarii krefftii

(NE Qld)

* Fraser Island Short-neck Turtle

Emydura macquarii nigra
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

Qld (Fraser Island)

*Jardine River Short-necked Turtle

Emydura subglobosa angkibaanya
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

Cape York Peninsula, Qld

*Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle

Emydura subglobosa subglobosa

South Papua New Guinea

Worrell's Short-necked Turtle (or Diamond Head Turtle)

Emydura subglobosa worrelli
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

NT, Qld

Northern Yellow-faced Turtle

Emydura tanybaraga

NT, Qld

*Saw-Shelled Turtle

Myuchelys (was Wollumbinia)
latisternum (=dorsii)
(Subgenus: Pleurodira)

NSW, NT, Qld

Fitzroy River Turtle

Rheodytes leukops

Qld


SEA TURTLES (Marine)
Family: Cheloniidae

Note that although Sea Turtles may stray into or spend time in cooler water, the females must return to warmer climates to lay their eggs.

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta

(All States)

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas japonica

(All States)

Pacific (or Olive) Ridley Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

(NT, Qld, NSW, WA, Vic, SA)

Leathery or Luth Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

(All States)

LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE (Marine)
Family: Dermochelyidae

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Leathery or Luth Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

(All States)

 

Sliders (INTRODUCED)
Family:Emydidae

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Red-eared Slider - INTRODUCED

Trachemys scripta elegans

ACT?, NSW, Qld (From USA, introduced into many countries)

 

DISTRIBUTION KEY

Click on the abbreviation below to see a map of the area

CKI = Cocos (Keeling) Island

NSW = New South Wales

Qld = Queensland

Tas = Tasmania

Vic = Victoria

ACT = Australian Capital Territory
(Canberra region only - excludes Jervis Bay Territory)

Australia map


LINKS OF INTEREST


Click here for more Information about Australian Turtles and Tortoises

 TURTLES, TORTOISES AND CROCODILES
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
John Fowler

Red-eared Slider - INVASIVE SPECIES
John Fowler

TurtleSAT


RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
(Affiliate commission earned)

_ Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

OTHER LINKS

Find a Random Species of Australian Reptile

Visit the Australian Herpetology Website




TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

Turtles
of
Australia

AUSTRALIAN TURTLE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Turtles of South Australia Turtles of NSW QUEENSLAND TURTLES Northern Territory TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines WESTERN AUSTRALIA TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines Tasmanian TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines VICTORIAN TURTLES Turtles of ACT

Turtles of
South
Australia

Turtles
of
NSW

Turtles
of
Qld

Turtles
of
NT

Turtles
of
WA

Turtles
of
Tasmania

Turtles of
Victoria

Turtles
of
ACT


Sea Turtles of the World Freshwater Turtles of the world Tortoises of the would menu button

Sea Turtles
of The World

Freshwater
Turtles
of The World

Tortoises
of The World


AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia
REPTILES OF VICTORIA
 REPTILES OF NSW REPTILES OF QUEENSLAND REPTILES OF NORTHERN TERRITORY REPTILES OF Western Australia Reptiles of the ACT(Canberra)

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island

Reptiles of Australia

Selection of Australian Frogs

Reptiles of the World

Amphibians of the World

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World


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Updated February 25, 2026


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