Elseya Gray, 1867 :44

Thomson, Scott, Amepou, Yolarnie, Anamiato, Jim & Georges, Arthur, 2015, A new species and subgenus of Elseya (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 4006 (1), pp. 59-82 : 61

Genus Elseya Gray, 1867:44

Diagnosis: The members of the genus Elseya can be diagnosed by the following combination of external characters—head and neck, when extended, much shorter than the carapace; gular scutes entirely separated by the intergular scute; prominent alveolar ridge on the triturating surfaces of the jaw sheaths (secondarily reduced in Elseya schultzei , E. novaeguineae and E. rhodini ); a horny casque (head shield) on top of the head of adults, entire, fragmented or deeply fenestrated; temporal region covered with prominent scales; front feet with five claws, rear with four claws. The anterior bridge strut of Elseya is angled sharply (approx. 45°) away from the rib/gomophosis of pleural one, a character shared with Emydura but excluding Elusor , Pseudemydura , Rheodytes , Myuchelys and Flaviemys . The anterior and posterior sides of the anterior bridge suture in Elseya are widely spaced both proximally and distally, with or without a medial constriction, whereas in Emydura only the proximal end of the suture is expanded followed by immediate constriction to a diameter confluent with the peripheral part of the bridge suture.