Okavango Pelomeduse
| Okavango Pelomeduse | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Pelusios bechuanicus | ||||||||||||
| FitzSimons , 1932 |
The Okavango mud turtle ( Pelusios bechuanicus ) is bound to water type of pleurodira , one of the family of African Sideneck Turtles.
Appearance
The Okavango pelomeduse reaches a carapace length of up to 33 centimeters. The females grow slightly larger than the males. The color of the armor is black to dark brown and occasionally has a yellow-orange mark. The belly armor is predominantly black with an occasional yellowish center in the middle.
The head is large with a pointed snout. The head color is uniformly black with yellowish markings. The skin on the neck and on the top of the legs is light gray and has a yellowish tinge. Each foot has five claws. The third claw is the longest on the forelegs. It is the second on the hind feet.
Distribution area and habitat
The range of the Okavango Pelomeduse includes the Okavango Delta , the marshland near Linyanti and parts of the Zambezi River. Their preferred habitat are deep, clear waters with rich plant growth. It occurs in both rivers and swamps.
Diet and reproduction
The Okavango pelomeduse is a very shy species of turtle that has so far been little explored. Their diet consists mainly of fish and invertebrates. The mating season falls in early summer. The females lay their clutch of between 21 and 48 eggs in moist soil. The eggs are elliptical in shape. Insufficient data are available on the incubation period up to hatching of the turtle pups.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ Boycott and Bourquin, pp. 59 and 60.
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