Dark pelomeduse
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Dark Pelomeduse ( Pelusios subniger ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Pelusios subniger | ||||||||||||
| Lacépéde , 1788 |
The dark pelomeduse ( Pelusios subniger ) is a water-bound species of the turn-neck turtle that belongs to the family of the pelomeduse turtles. It is native to tropical East and South Africa. Inventory figures of this kind are not known. It is also not listed on any of the international species protection lists. However, it occurs in the African national parks and reserves Kruger National Park , Mana Pools , Gonarezhou National Park , Chizarira National Park , Matusadona and Hwange National Park .
Appearance
The dark pelomeduse reaches a carapace length of up to 20 centimeters. The females grow slightly larger than the males. The color of the armor is brown. The belly armor is predominantly yellowish with brown spots along the edges of the shield.
The head is large with a blunt snout. The head color is uniformly brown and only occasionally shows a fine pattern. The skin on the neck and extremities is gray or black.
Distribution area and habitat
The dark pelomeduse has a significantly smaller range than the rigid-breasted pelomeduse , with whose range it overlaps in places. It occurs in tropical East Africa. The range includes the north of Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the south of Mozambique. The distribution area in the Republic of South Africa is limited to the northeast of the Kruger National Park .
The habitat of the dark pelomeduse is mostly short-term waterholes. However, it also occurs in swamps, which carry water for most of the year, as well as in other still waters. During the dry season, the dark pelomeduse digs into the ground.
Diet and reproduction
The dark pelomeduse is omnivorous. Their food spectrum includes aquatic insects and amphibians as well as aquatic plants and ripe fruits.
Little is known about the reproduction of the dark pelomeduse. According to current knowledge, the mating season falls in summer. The female lays the clutch in February and March. A clutch consists of eight eggs.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
literature
- Richard C. Boycott and Ortwin Bourquin: The southern African Toirtoise Book - A Guide to southern African Tortoises, Terrapins and Turtles , O. Bourquin, KiwaZulu-Natal 2000, ISBN 0-620-26536-1
Web links
- Pelusios subniger in The Reptile Database
- Pelusios subniger inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved December 14, 2013.