Geoemydidae

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Geoemydidae
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous - Present
Rhinoclemmys-pulcherrima-manni-Zoo-Berlin-1897 (cropped).JPG
Ornate wood turtle
Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae
Theobald, 1868
Synonyms

Geoemydidae Theobald 1868:9 [1]
Batagurina Gray 1869:185 [2]
Bataguridae Gray 1870:17 [3]

Contents

The Geoemydidae (formerly known as Bataguridae) are one of the largest and most diverse families [4] in the order Testudines (turtles), with about 70 species. The family includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.

Characteristics

Geoemydidae are turtles of various sizes (from about 10 to 80 cm (4 to 30 in) in length) with often a high degree of sexual dimorphism. They usually have webbed toes, and their pelvic girdles articulate with their plastrons flexibly. Their necks are drawn back vertically. Their carapaces have 24 marginal scutes. The plastron is composed of 12 scutes and has no mesoplastron; the pectoral and abdominal scutes contact the marginal scutes.

Some other features include a single articulation between the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae, the lack of a hyomandibular branch of the facial nerve, and an epipterygoid bone in the skull.

Ecology

Geoemydidae live in tropics and subtropics of Asia, Europe and North Africa; the only genus in Central and South America is Rhinoclemmys . Their habitats include freshwater ecosystems, coastal marine areas, and tropical forests. Most are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous or carnivorous species. In mating, the males are usually much more active than females. A relatively small number of eggs per clutch is common, produced several times a year. Some species have a temperature-dependent sex determination system, while others possess different sex chromosomes; one known species (Siebenrockiella crassicolis) exhibits XX/XY sex determination, while another species ( Pangshura smithii ) exhibits ZZ/ZW sex determination. [5]

About 70% of the extant species have been reported to be in endangered or vulnerable condition.

Systematics and evolution

Traditional systematics placed the geoemydids in the family Emydidae as the subfamily Batagurinae. In the 1980s, the subfamily was elevated to the family status and renamed to Geoemydidae according to the ICZN rules.

Most fossil and molecular data support their close relationship to the family Testudinidae.

The intrafamilial taxonomy is not well established yet, due to the large number and diversity of species. The family is usually divided into two subfamilies and 19 genera. [4] Several species are known to give viable hybrids, which makes the systematics even more complicated. [6]

Subfamilies and genera

The following genera are classified under Geoemydidae. [4]

Conservation

As of the early 2013, six species of the family Geoemydidae are on the CITES Appendix I, and 30 more are on the treaty's Appendix II. A joint China-US proposal for a March 2013 CITES participants' conference seeks to add 15 more Geoemydidae species to the convention's Appendix II. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emydidae</span> Family of turtles

Emydidae is a family of testudines (turtles) that includes close to 50 species in 10 genera. Members of this family are commonly called terrapins, pond turtles, or marsh turtles. Several species of Asian box turtles were formerly classified in the family; however, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family (Geoemydidae). As currently defined, the Emydidae are entirely a Western Hemisphere family, with the exception of two species of pond turtle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arakan forest turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Arakan forest turtle is a critically endangered turtle species native to the Arakan Hills in western Myanmar and the bordering Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. The Arakan forest turtle is a semiterrestrial turtle, meaning it can survive in aquatic as well as terrestrial habitats, but adults prefer living in terrestrial habitats.

<i>Heosemys</i> Genus of turtles

Heosemys is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae. The genus Heosemys was split out of the related genus Geoemyda by McDowell in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine forest turtle</span> Species of turtle

Siebenrockiella leytensis is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to the Philippines. It is classified as critically endangered. It is known as the Philippine forest turtle, the Philippine pond turtle, the Palawan turtle, or the Leyte pond turtle. Despite the latter common name, it does not occur in the island of Leyte but is instead native to the Palawan island group. It is locally known as bakoko in Cuyonon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny turtle</span> Species of turtle

The spiny turtle is a South-East Asian turtle species. It inhabits lowland and hill rainforest, usually dwelling in the vicinity of small streams in hill areas up to 1,000 m above sea level. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oldham's leaf turtle</span> Species of turtle

Oldham's leaf turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cane turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Cochin forest cane turtle, also known as Kavalai forest turtle, forest cane turtle or simply cane turtle, is a rare turtle from the Western Ghats of India. Described in 1912, its type locality is given as "Near Kavalai in the Cochin State Forests, inhabiting dense forest, at an elevation of about 1500 feet above sea level". Only two specimens were found at that time, and no scientist saw this turtle for the next 70 years. It was rediscovered in 1982, and since then a number of specimens have been found and some studies have been conducted about its phylogeny and ecology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown roofed turtle</span> Species of turtle

The brown roofed turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is endemic to South Asia. Two subspecies are recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caspian turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Caspian turtle, also known as the striped-neck terrapin, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (=Bataguridae). It is found in west Asia, in Iran and central Turkey, northward to the Republic of Georgia and eastward to southwestern Turkmenistan, and in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle or Ryukyu leaf turtle is a species of turtles in the family Geoemydidae endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. In 1975, the species was designated a National Natural Monument of Japan. It grows to about 5–6 inches long. In captivity, it feeds on worms, snails, insects, and fruit. Due to its rarity and very attractive appearance, this species is highly coveted by turtle collectors worldwide.

<i>Geoemyda</i> Genus of turtles

Geoemyda is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae. It contains two species:

The Sulawesi forest turtle is a critically endangered species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is monotypic within the genus Leucocephalon. It is endemic to Sulawesi in Indonesia.

<i>Mauremys</i> Genus of turtles

Mauremys is a genus of turtles in the family Geoemydidae.

<i>Sacalia</i> Genus of turtles

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 turtle species 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black marsh turtle</span> Species of turtle

Siebenrockiella crassicollis is a freshwater turtle endemic to Southeast Asia. It is one of two species classified under the genus Siebenrockiella in the family Geoemydidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrapin</span> Index of animals with the same common name

Terrapins are a group of several species of small turtle living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoemydinae</span> Subfamily of turtles

The Geoemydinae are a subfamily of turtles consisting of 60 subspecies and 76 taxa.

<i>Cyclemys</i> Genus of turtles

Cyclemys is a genus of freshwater turtles, commonly referred to as Asian leaf turtles, from the family Geoemydidae. The genus occurs throughout Southeast and South Asia, and currently contains seven species.

<i>Chelodina canni</i> Species of turtle

Chelodina canni, also known commonly as Cann's snake-necked turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to Australia, where it is found in the northern and northeastern parts of the continent. It has a narrow zone of hybridization with its related species the eastern snake-necked turtle, C. longicollis. For many years C. canni was assumed to be the same species as C. novaeguineae from New Guinea. However, in 2002 it was shown that these two species differ both morphologically and genetically, and therefore C. canni was separated and described as a unique species.

<i>Batagur</i> Genus of turtles

Batagur is a genus of large turtles from South and Southeast Asia. All members of the genus are seriously threatened. With a 2007 merger with members from two other genera, this genus has six described species.

References

  1. ↑ Theobald, William, Jr. 1868. Catalogue of Reptiles in the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Journal of the Asiatic Society, Extra Number, 88 pp.
  2. ↑ Gray, John Edward. 1869. Notes on the families and genera of tortoises (Testudinata), and on the characters afforded by the study of their skulls. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1869:165–225.
  3. ↑ Gray, John Edward. 1870. Supplement to the Catalogue of Shield Reptiles in the Collection of the British Museum. Part I. Testudinata (Tortoises). London: British Museum, 120 pp.
  4. 1 2 3 Turtle Taxonomy Working Group [van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Shaffer, H.B., Bour, R., and Rhodin, A.G.J.]. 2012. Turtles of the World, 2012 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 5, pp. 000.243–000.328, doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v5.2012, "Turtles of the World, 2012 update: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  5. ↑ Badenhorst, Daleen; Stanyon, Roscoe; Engstrom, Tag; Valenzuela, Nicole (2013-04-01). "A ZZ/ZW microchromosome system in the spiny softshell turtle, Apalone spinifera, reveals an intriguing sex chromosome conservation in Trionychidae". Chromosome Research. 21 (2): 137–147. doi:10.1007/s10577-013-9343-2. ISSN   1573-6849. PMID   23512312. S2CID   14434440.
  6. ↑ Buskirk, James R.; Parham, James F. & Feldman, Chris R. (2005): On the hybridisation between two distantly related Asian turtles (Testudines: Sacalia × Mauremys). Salamandra 41: 21-26. PDF fulltext [ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ "convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the parties, Bangkok (Thailand), 3-14 March 2013. Consideration of Proposals for Amendment of Appendices I and II (CoP16 Prop. 32)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-02-22. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
  8. ↑ Dinny McMahon, China Backs Tortoise in Race to Protect Endangered Species, 2013-03-04
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