Inhabits Western Australia.
This species is at once known from Chelodina longicollis by the form of its high, flat sternum, which is strongly keeled on the sides, and by this part being of a uniform reddish colour, without any dark margin to the plates; the hinder part of the sternum is only slightly concavely truncated, and not deeply notched.
It is also known from that old well-known species by its oblong depressed form, and by the form of the marginal plates, and especially from the second and eleventh marginal plates on each side being placed more forwards, so that the centre of their inner edge is opposite the suture of the first and last costal plates with the dorsal ones; instead of their front margin, as is the case with all the specimens of Chelodina longicollis I have seen.
This species grows to a large size. Mr. Gould brought a specimen which he gave to Mr. Bell, which is 11 inches long, and the neck is nearly equally long, very thick, and studded with large warts; the head is broad and depressed, covered with a thin skin, like a Trionyx, and marked with small thin scales.
92. Cystignathus dorsalis.
The palatine teeth in a single large straight line, just behind the inner nostrils; tongue large, slightly nicked behind, the tympanum nearly hid under the skin; gray-brown (in spirits) marbled with dark irregular spots, with a white streak down the middle of the forehead and front of the back; sides pure white, spotted and marbled with black; beneath white; toes elongate, slender, tapering; back part of thighs brown, white speckled.
Inhabits Western Australia. Mr. Gould.
This species is very distinct from C. peronii and C. georgianus, the two Australian species described by Messieurs Dumeril and Bibron. It agrees with the former in the disposition of the palatine teeth.
