Yellow pond turtle
| Yellow pond turtle | ||||||||||||
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Yellow pond turtle ( Mauremys mutica ), specimen |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Mauremys mutica | ||||||||||||
| ( Cantor , 1842) |
The yellow pond turtle ( Mauremys mutica , Syn . : Cathaiemys mutica ), also called three-keeled water turtle , three-keeled brook turtle or yellow brook turtle , is a species of the Old World pond turtle and belongs to the genus of the brook turtles ( Mauremys ). It is a species of turtle found in southeast China and on a Japanese island. Their system has not yet been conclusively clarified. At times it was listed together with Annam's brook turtle in the genus Asiatic turtles ( Cathaiemys ). The yellow pond turtle is listed as endangered on the 2006 IUCN list.
Appearance
The yellow pond turtle has a carapace length of up to 18 centimeters. The armor on the back is red-brown in color. It has three longitudinal keels that are colored black. The middle keel is the most pronounced and in some individuals is occasionally the only one that is recognizable. The belly armor is yellowish to orange. This species is characterized by a yellow stripe that begins directly behind the eyes and runs along the side of the head. It is often framed in black. The throat is also yellowish. The sexes can be differentiated by the fact that males have a concave-shaped belly armor. Their tail is also longer than that of the females.
Distribution and way of life
The yellow pond turtle occurs in southeast China and on the western of the Ryūkyū Islands , which are part of Japan. This group of islands in the East China Sea lies between Kyūshū and Taiwan . The distribution area extends from China to the north of Vietnam. The turtles found on the Ryūkyū Islands belong to the subspecies Mauremys mutica kami . The Mauremys mutica mutica living on the mainland represent the nominate form.
habitat
The yellow pond turtle is a very adaptable species that can be found both in lowlands and in forest streams of the hill country. The representatives of the species are bad swimmers. In addition to animal food, they mainly eat fruits.
Reproduction
The clutch of the yellow pond turtle usually contains one or two eggs. Only in exceptional cases are there clutches with four eggs. The eggs weigh between 7.5 and 12 grams. The time between oviposition and hatching of the young depends on the ambient temperature and the relative humidity. The incubation period is between 65 and 79 days.
proof
Individual evidence
- ↑ asianturtlenetwork.org (eng.)
- ↑ Rogner, p. 97
literature
- Manfred Rogner : Turtles. Biology, husbandry, reproduction. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5440-1 .
- Eleanor Jane Sterling, Martha Maud Hurley, Le Duc Minh: Vietnam. A natural history. Yale University Press, New Haven NJ 2006, ISBN 0-300-12693-X .
Web link
- Mauremys mutica in The Reptile Database
- Mauremys mutica inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Asian Turtle Trade Working Group, 2000. Retrieved February 1, 2014.