eleven peripherals (per side), a nuchal at the front and a suprapygal and pygal at the rear of the shell. As noted earlier, neurals, although always present, often exist as subsurface elements above the vertebral column.

The plastron of chelids does not contain any hinges as can appear in some cryptodire turtles. The scute pattern is a unique feature of Pleurodira and can be used to immediately identify a shell as belonging to this suborder. All cryptodires have 12