Yellow-headed terrapin
| Yellow-headed terrapin | ||||||||||||
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Yellow-headed terrapin ( Vijayachelys silvatica ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Vijayachelys | ||||||||||||
| Praschag , Schmidt , Fritzsch , Müller , Gemel & Fritz , 2006 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Vijayachelys silvatica | ||||||||||||
| ( Henderson , 1912) |
The yellow-headed terrapin ( Vijayachelys silvatica ) is a species of tortoise from the Old World pond turtle family (Geoemydidae). She has been one of the Pip tortoises ( Geoemyda ) but was 2006 et al of Praschag. transferred to the monotypic genus Vijayachelys .
features
The turtle can reach a shell length of 14 cm, whereby the females are usually larger. In contrast to the Chinese and Japanese pointed turtles , the end of the carapace is smooth and not jagged in adult specimens. Only in young animals is the end of the carapace slightly toothed. The yellow-headed terrapin has a very pronounced hooked bill.
The carapace of the males is maroon, the plastron (belly armor) is yellowish in color. The head of the male is black, the snout is colored red. In the males, the entire jaw is colored yellow, in the females only the lower jaw. This turtle owes its name to the yellow jaw. Compared to females and young animals, males are more dark and contrasty in color. The carapace of the females is light-colored to umbra brown, the plastron tinted from leather to dull yellow. In adult females, the head is often very red in color. The coloring of the young looks more like the females than the males.
distribution and habitat
The cane turtle occurs in the southern Western Ghats , a mountain range in southwestern India , endemic to. There she lives in ever-green and semi-evergreen forests. It usually occurs at altitudes between 400 and 500 above sea level . The summer and autumn in these areas are very rainy, while the months December to April are very dry.
Diet and (hunting) behavior
The activity of the turtles is heavily dependent on precipitation and humidity . When the humidity is high, these animals are active, while in the dry months they sleep so-called dry . The turtle hunts and lives very hidden in the undergrowth and between stones. Due to its color, it is well camouflaged in the undergrowth. Bright and sunny places are avoided.
The food spectrum includes both vegetable and animal food, so it is omnivorous . Millipedes, pinnipedes, worms, snails, beetles and various fruits are eaten.
Conservation and endangerment
Due to its rarity, the yellow-headed terrapin in India enjoys strict national protection regulations. The capture, trade and possession of these turtles is prohibited. The destruction of natural habitats is the main contributor to the endangerment of the turtle. Forests are cleared for the purpose of growing rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom and opium. Gel-headed turtles are protected by several Indian national parks. These national parks are intended to make the population aware of the endangerment of this species and to create awareness for nature conservation.
literature
- Ingo Schaefer: Pointed Terrapins. Natur und Tier-Verlag, Münster 2005, ISBN 3-937285-50-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Peter Praschag, Christian Schmidt, Guido Fritzsch, Anke Muller, Richard Gemel & Uwe Fritz (2006): Geoemyda silvatica, an enigmatic turtle of the Geoemydidae (Reptilia: Testudines), represents a distinct genus. Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 6 (2), pp. 151-162.
Web links
- Vijayachelys silvatica in The Reptile Database
- Vijayachelys silvatica inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Posted by: Asian Turtle Trade Working Group, 2000. Retrieved February 1, 2014.