There have been numerous other records of "freshwater turtles" in northern Australian rivers in recent years (cf. Cogger 1970) and, though in one case unsupported by specimens, at least two appear to be of authentic Carettochelys insculpta. One is of specimens examined by J. Cann (pers. comm.) from the upper reaches of the Daly River about 140 km above tidal influence in the Northern Territory. A carapace of one of the specimens has been placed in the Australian Museum, Sydney (Reg. No. R.31717). the other, published incidentally by St. John (1967, p. 527) and Parker (1971), is of observation made by the later A. de Lestang who observed "herds of turtles" devouring the fallen fruits of Pandanus (P. delestangii St. John) in perennial rivers south-west of Burketown of north-western Queensland and/or eastern Northern Territory. As all other freshwater chelonians in the region are carnivorous, it seems probable that de Lestang's observations refer to Carettochelys.
     These records suggest that the Pitted-shelled Turtle occurs in the lower (to upper) reaches of major river systems across northern Australia, at least from the Victoria River District of the Northern Territory to as far east as the Gulf country of Queensland and perhaps western Cape York Peninsula. From local information, J. Cann (pers. comm.) believes the turtle to be rather common in most coastal rivers flowing into the Joseph Bonaparte and Van Diemen Gulfs. In overall distribution, then, the species apparently occurs in the river systems along the landward margins of the Sahul Shelf. Little is yet known of its occurrence or movements in the intervening Arafura Sea.

     We are indebted to Messrs. W. Vestjens and J. H. Calaby, CSIRO Division of Wildlife Research, for assistance with measurements and examination of the CSIRO specimen and in the preparation of the text of this paper; and to Dr. T.G. Schultze-Westrum, and Mr. J. Cann of Yarra Road, Phillip Bay, Sydney for additional observations on Carettochelys insculpta. Mr. E. Slater, CSIRO Division of Wildlife Research, took the photographs.

COGGER, H.G. (1970). – First record of the Pitted-shelled Turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, from Australia. Search I. 41.
DE ROOIJ, N. (1915). – “The reptiles of the Indo-Australian archipelago. I. Lacertilia, Chelonia, Emydosauria). Nova Guinea 13. Zool., 133-153.
PARKER, S. A. (1971). – Association between the Sulphur-crested Cocktoo and Pandanus. W.A. Naturalist 12. 23.
SCHULTZE-WESTRUM, T. (1963). – Die Papua-schildkröte aus Neuguinea. Natur und Museum 93, 119-127.
ST. JOHN, H.. (1967). – Revision of the Genus Pandanus Stickman, Pt. 23. Three Australian Species of Pandanus, Pacif. Sci. 21, 253-530.
WALTHER, W. G. (1922). – Die Neu-Guinea-Schilkröte Carettochelys insculpta Ramsay. Nova Guinea 13. Zool., 607-704.
WERMUTH, H., & MERTENS, R. (1961). – “Schilkröten, Krokodile, Bruckenechsen.” (Gustav Fisher: Jena.)

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