Sometimes called the bearded toadheads but better known by their scientific name of ''Phrynops'' this genus of

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

s has often been a bit of a dumping ground for the short-necked South American turtles of the family

Chelidae Chelidae is one of three living families of the turtle suborder Pleurodira, and are commonly called Austro-South American side-neck turtles. The family is distributed in Australia, New Guinea, parts of Indonesia, and throughout most of South Amer ...

. The genus is widely distributed in South America found in the Orinoco to Amazon and São Francisco to Paraná and adjacent river basins of

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, the Guianas,

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

and northeastern

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

(Iverson, 1992).lverson, J.B. (1992). ''Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World''. Richmond, Indiana: Privately Printed. 363 pp. A turtle of the genus ''Phrynops'' generally achieves thermoregulation through areal basking. In order to best attain its goal, it tends to increase its basking time during mid-day during the winters to make up for the cold. Other factors such as food intake and reproduction underwater also influence the way it controls the temperature of its body. Although this is the main way it is able to maintain body temperature, food intake and reproduction rates are also influential in the matter.

Species

Listed alphabetically by specific name. * ''

Phrynops geoffroanus ''Phrynops geoffroanus'', also Common name, commonly known as Geoffroy's side-necked turtle and Geoffroy's toadhead turtle, is a species of large Pleurodira, side-necked turtle in the Family (biology), family Chelidae. The species is Endemism, end ...

'' – Geoffroy's toadhead turtle, Geoffroy's side-necked turtle Schweigger, Augustus F. (1812). "''Prodromus monographiae Cheloniorum'' ". ''Königsberger Archiv für Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik'' 1: 271–368, 406–462. (''Emys geoffroana'', new species, pp. 301–302). (in Latin). * '' Phrynops hilarii'' – Hilaire's toadhead turtle, Hilaire's side-necked turtle Duméril, André Marie Constant; Bibron, Gabriel (1835). ''Erpétologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles. Tome Second.'' Paris: Roret. 680 pp. (''Platemys hilarii'', new species, pp. 428–430). (in French). * '' Phrynops tuberosus'' – Cotinga River toadhead turtle Peters, Wilhem Carl Hartwig (1870). "''Über'' Platemys tuberosa, ''eine neue Art von Schildkröte aus British-Guiana'' ". ''Monatsberichte der Königliche Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin.'' 1870 (Mai): 311-313. (''Platemys tuberosa'', new species, pp. 311–313 + Plates 1–2). (in German). * '' Phrynops williamsi'' – William's toadhead turtle, William's South American side-necked turtleRhodin, Anders G.J.; Mittermeier, Russell A. (1983). "Description of ''Phrynops williamsi'', a new species of chelid turtle of the South American ''P. geoffroanus'' complex". pp. 58-73. ''In'': Rhodin, A.G.J.; Miyata, K. (Editors) (1983). ''Advances in Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology. Essays in Honor of Ernest E. Williams''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. * †'' Phrynops paranaensis'' ''Phrynops''
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References

{{Authority control Turtle genera Turtles of South America Reptiles described in 1830 Taxa named by Johann Georg Wagler Taxonomy articles created by Polbot