Snake‐necked turtle (Hebikubigame)

Japanese: ヘビクビガメ(蛇頸亀) - ヘビクビガメ（英語表記）snake‐necked turtle

A general term for long-necked turtles belonging to the Chelidae family. Approximately 10 genera and 37 species are found in the freshwaters of South America, Australia, and New Guinea. Most are small, with a carapace length of around 20 cm, but the Matamata Chelus fimbriatus (illustration), known for its unusual head and neck shape, can reach a carapace length of about 40 cm. As the name suggests, the head and neck are long and slender like a snake, and are bent horizontally along the edge of the carapace and hidden between the carapace and plastron.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

ヘビクビガメ科Chelidaeに属するくびの長いカメ類の総称。約10属37種が南アメリカ，オーストラリア，ニューギニアの淡水に分布する。大半は甲長20cm前後の小型であるが，奇異な頭頸（とうけい）部の形状で知られるマタマタChelus fimbriatus（イラスト）は甲長約40cmに達する。ヘビクビガメの名のとおり，頭頸部がヘビのように細長く，これを甲の縁に沿って水平に曲げ，背甲と腹甲の間に隠す。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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