The Presence of Mesoclemmys raniceps and Mesoclemmys nasuta in Venezuela and Comments on the Type Locality of Hydraspis maculata (Chelidae)

Abstract Among the freshwater turtles recorded in Venezuela, 2 of the most enigmatic species for their scarcity and misleading distributional information are Mesoclemmys raniceps and Mesoclemmys nasuta. Based on the literature, only 3 records pertaining to these 2 species could confirm that they occur in Venezuela; however, a detailed study of the evidence demonstrates that the type of Hydraspis maculata (a synonym of M. raniceps), was not specifically collected in Venezuela and the other 2 records were an adult female of Mesoclemmys zuliae and a juvenile Mesoclemmys heliostemma. Our conclusion is that no records of M. nasuta or M. raniceps are known from Venezuela.