| Beale's eyed turtle | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
| Family: | Geoemydidae |
| Genus: | Sacalia |
| Species: | S. bealei |
| Binomial name | |
| Sacalia bealei (Gray, 1831) | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
| |
Beale's eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). The species is endemic to China.
S. bealei has a yellowish-brown, smooth, rather depressed carapace spotted with black, and it has an olive-green head. Another form of this species has a brown carapace. In both forms, there are two pairs of black-centered ocelli on the back of the head which is peppered with black spots. This is a turtle of moderate size and will grow up to a maximum straight-line carapace length of 18 cm (7 inches). [4]
A nocturnal species, S. bealei lives in mountain streams at all elevations, but with a preference for heavily forest-covered streams with many large stones so as to provide shelter. [4]
S. bealei feeds on crayfish and worms, and accepts meat in captivity. [4]
A timid and nervous species, S. bealei will scramble and flail wildly with its claws when handled. [4]
S. bealei is reported to lay 6 eggs at a time. [4] The nests are often half-buried by leaves and soil, and the entire nesting process may take up to 165 minutes. [5]
S. bealei is sometimes called Beale's four-eyed turtle, though that is not an ideal common name due to the possibility of confusion with the four-eyed turtle proper ( S. quadriocellata ).
The specific name, bealei, is in honor of Thomas Beale, a Scottish naturalist and merchant in China. [6]
S. bealei occurs throughout the provinces of central and Southern China. It is considered very rare in Hong Kong. [4]
Listed as endangered by the IUCN, [1] these turtles are hunted for use in folk medicine. [7] However, the Hong Kong Reptile and Amphibian Society has found that this species is sold in pet shops in Hong Kong, with the specimens almost certainly locally caught, even though the species is locally protected. [8] It is also threatened by habitat loss. The fact that it lays only one clutch per year and that the eggs are often heavily infested with ants makes conservation efforts even harder for this already very rare species. [5] [9]
The Geoemydidae are one of the largest and most diverse families in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles. Members of this family are commonly called Leaf turtle.
The Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle, also known as the small-headed softshell turtle or the Indo-Gangetic softshell turtle, is an endangered species of softshell turtle native to waterways and rivers of the Indian subcontinent. It is very large, feeding on fish, frogs, worms, crustaceans and molluscs, and even the occasional swimming small rodent or other mammal. C. indica, like other softshell turtles, uses it flexible shell to dig itself deep into sandy lake and river bottoms; here, it patiently waits for potential prey to swim by. They will also ambush and chase their prey, depending on availability, the time of year, and size of the prey. In the past it was included as a subspecies of Chitra chitra, a species restricted to Southeast Asia using current taxonomy.
The Asian giant softshell turtle, also known commonly as Cantor's giant softshell turtle and the frog-faced softshell turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Trionychidae. The species is native to Southeast Asia. The species is critically endangered and in the 20th century has disappeared from much of its former range.
The keeled box turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to Asia.
The northern river terrapin is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia. It has been classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and considered extinct in much of its former range; as of 2018, the population in the wild was estimated at 100 mature individuals.
The Amboina box turtle or Southeast Asian box turtle is a species of Asian box turtle widely distributed across Southeast Asia. It is native to the Asian mainland from northeast India, through Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand, across Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It is also found on the archipelagos of Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Assam roofed turtle or Sylhet roofed turtle is a turtle species of the family Geoemydidae found in the Brahmaputra-Meghna drainage in India (Assam) and parts of eastern Bangladesh. It was formerly placed in the genus Batagur and the defunct genus Kachuga.
The golden coin turtle, also known commonly as the Chinese three-banded box turtle and the Chinese three-striped box turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is native to southern China. There are two recognized subspecies.
The razor-backed musk turtle is a species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is native to the southern United States. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
The spiny softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of the carapace, which are not scutes (scales).
Kleinmann's tortoise, also called commonly the Egyptian tortoise, Leith's tortoise, and the Negev tortoise, is a critically endangered species of cryptodire turtle in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to Egypt, Libya, and Israel/ Palestine. The species was once more widespread, but its numbers are now dwindling. The species is nearly extinct in Egypt, and complete extinction in the wild is a looming threat unless more actions are taken to protect this species.
The four-eyed turtle is a reptile of the order Testudines. Its name refers to two bright yellow or green spots that occur on the back of its head that can look like another pair of eyes.
The Malayan softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. It is monotypic in its genus.
Mauremys reevesii, commonly known as the Chinese pond turtle, the Chinese three-keeled pond turtle, or Reeves' turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae, a family which was formerly called Bataguridae. The species is native to East Asia.
The yellow pond turtle, is a medium-sized, semiaquatic turtle in the family Geoemydidae. This species has a characteristic broad yellow stripe extending behind the eye and down the neck; the carapace ranges in color from grayish brown to brown, and the plastron is yellow or orange with black blotches along the outer edges. It is native to East Asia, ranging from central Vietnam and Laos, north through the coastal provinces of south and central China, with insular populations known from Taiwan, Hainan and the Ryukyu Islands. Although populations in the southern Ryukyus are thought to be native, populations in the northern and central Ryukyus, as well as central Japan, are believed to have been introduced as a result of imports from Taiwan.
The East African black mud turtle, also known as the Pan terrapin, is a species of turtle in the family Pelomedusidae, native to eastern and southeastern Africa.
Sacalia is a genus of turtles in the family Geoemydidae. The genus was erected by John Edward Gray in 1870. The Sacalia is native to Southereastern China, Laos, and Vietnam. It was declared an endangered species of turtle by the IUCN Red List due to its illegal trade. The sacalia has a carapace of dark-brown color that permits it to camouflage to its habitat. They are believed to select the area of a river that better matches their color.
The northern map turtle, also known as the common map turtle, is an aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. It is endemic to North America.
The eastern mud turtle or common mud turtle is a common species of turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is endemic to the United States. There are two recognized subspecies.
John L. Behler was an American naturalist, herpetologist, author, and activist known for his work in conserving endangered species of turtles, snakes, and other reptiles. He served as curator of herpetology at the Bronx Zoo, part of the Wildlife Conservation Society from 1976 to 2006. He co-chaired the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, and was a founding member of the Turtle Survival Alliance, which co-present the Behler Turtle Conservation Award with the Turtle Conservancy and Turtle Conservation Fund. The Behler Turtle Conservation Award is a major annual award to honor leadership in the field of freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation. The Turtle Conservancy named its captive breeding center, the Behler Chelonian Center, in his honor.
Family Geoemydidae | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Genera |
|  | ||
| † Banhxeochelys | ||||
| Batagur | ||||
| Cuora | ||||
| Cyclemys | ||||
| † Echmatemys | ||||
| Geoclemys | ||||
| Geoemyda | ||||
| Hardella | ||||
| Heosemys | ||||
| Leucocephalon | ||||
| Malayemys | ||||
| Mauremys | ||||
| Melanochelys | ||||
| Morenia | ||||
| Notochelys | ||||
| Orlitia | ||||
| Pangshura | ||||
| Rhinoclemmys | ||||
| Sacalia | ||||
| Siebenrockiella | ||||
| Vijayachelys | ||||
Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=Extinct. | ||||
