Sicilian pond turtle

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Sicilian pond turtle
Emys trinacris.JPG

Sicilian pond turtle ( Emys trinacris )

Systematics
Order : Turtles (Testudinata)
Subordination : Halsberger tortoises (Cryptodira)
Family : New World pond turtles (Emydidae)
Subfamily : Emydinae
Genre : Emys
Type : Sicilian pond turtle
Scientific name
Emys trinacris
Fritz , Fattizzio , Guicking , Tripepi , Pennisi , Lenk , Joger & Wink , 2005

The Sicilian pond turtle ( emys trinacris ) is a turtle - type in the genus emys . The species was only in 2005 due to phylogenetic studies first described . Morphologically , it is very similar to the specimens of the subspecies Emys orbicularis galloitalica of the European pond turtle native to mainland Italy .

description

The Sicilian pond turtle is small. The maximum length of the back armor ( height ) is 14.5 centimeters, its basic color is dark gray to olive. Ray-shaped fine yellow lines run on the back plates. The belly armor is either predominantly or completely yellow in color. The shields on the edges have a narrow, dark hem. Compared to Emys orbicularis , the back armor is less elongated, but oval and protruding backwards.

Occurrence

The distribution area of Emys trinacris is Sicily . This is not only indicated by the German name, but also by the scientific epithet trinacris after the old name "Trinakria" for Sicily. It is possible that the neighboring Calabria in the southern mainland part of Italy was colonized by this species.

The Sicilian pond turtle occurs in the lowlands and in the mountains up to 1400 meters above sea level. The type locality is the Lago Gian Fenaro , a lake near the Pizzo Laminaria pass on the Nebrodi Mountains in northern Sicily. The type specimen , an adult male, is kept in the Museo Zoologico “ La Specola ” in Florence .

Way of life

No data are yet available on the way of life, presumably it is similar to that of Emys orbicularis .

supporting documents

literature

  • Dieter Glandt: Pocket dictionary of amphibians and reptiles in Europe . Quelle & Meyer Verlag, Wiebelsheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-494-01470-8 , pages 326–327

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Fritz Uwe, Peter Havas: Checklist of the Chelonians of the World. 2007. (PDF; 925 kB) compiled on behalf of CITES
  2. Emys trinacris German-language summary of the first description (by Holger Vetter, AG Schildkröten)

further reading

  • Uwe Fritz, Tiziano Fattizzio, Daniela Guicking, Sandro Tripepi, Maria Grazia Pennisi, Peter Lenk, Ulrich Joger & Michael Wink: A new cryptic species of pond turtle from southern Italy, the hottest spot in the range of the genus Emys (Reptilia, Testudines , Emydidae) . Zoologica Scripta, 34, 4, pp. 351–371, 2005 doi : 10.1111 / j.1463-6409.2005.00188.x (first description)
  • Uwe Fritz, Stefania D'Angelo, Maria Grazia Pennisi, Mario Lo Valvo: Variation of Sicilian pond turtles, Emys trinacris - What makes a species cryptic? Amphibia-Reptilia, 27, 4, pp. 513-529, 2006 doi : 10.1163 / 156853806778877095

Web links