Caspian turtle - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Mauremys caspica) Species of turtle

Caspian turtle

Western Caspian turtle
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Genus:	Mauremys
Species:	M. caspica
Binomial name
*Mauremys caspica* (Gmelin, 1774)
Synonyms
Mauremys caspica caspica Testudo caspica Gmelin, 1774 Emys caspica — Schweigger, 1812 Clemmys caspica — Wagler, 1830 Emys caspia Rüppell, 1831 (ex errore) Testudo caspia — Gray, 1831 Terrapene caspica — Bonaparte, 1832 Clemmys caspica — Siebenrock, 1909 Mauremys caspica — McDowell, 1964 Mauremys caspica caspica — Pritchard, 1966 Mauremys caspica siebenrocki Emys grayi Günther, 1869 Emmenia grayi — Gray, 1870 Mauremys caspica siebenrocki Wischuf, 1996 (nomen nudum) Mauremys caspica siebenrocki Wischuf & Fritz, 1997 Mauremys caspica siebenrockii Bour, 2002 (ex errore) Mauremys caspica ventrimaculata Mauremys caspica ventrimaculata Wischuf & Fritz, 1996 Mauremys caspica schiras Wischuf, 1996 (nomen nudum) Mauremys caspica ventriculata Obst, 2003 (ex errore)

The Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica), also known as the striped-neck terrapin, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (=Bataguridae). It is found in west Asia, in Iran and central Turkey, northward to the Republic of Georgia and eastward to southwestern Turkmenistan, and in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Description

Mauremys caspica is a tan to blackish, medium-sized, semiaquatic turtle, which may attain a carapace length of 25 cm (9.8 in). Its low, oval carapace has a slight medial keel (better developed in juveniles) and a smooth, unserrated marginal border, which is slightly upturned and tapered above the tail. A pair of low lateral keels are present on the pleural scutes of hatchlings, but these become lower with age and disappear completely in adults. The carapace is tan to olive or black with yellow to cream-colored reticulations patterning the scutes, and some individuals have yellow vertebral stripes. These light lines fade with age, but the pleural seam borders become darker. The well-developed plastron is notched posteriorly. The plastral formulae are given in the subspecies descriptions under Geographic Variation. The plastron is either yellow with variable reddish to dark-brown blotches, or dark brown or black with a yellow blotch along the lateral scute borders. The bridge is either yellow with dark seam borders and dark spots on the corresponding marginals, or almost totally black with a few small yellow marks. The head is not enlarged, and is olive to dark brown with yellow or pale cream-colored stripes. Some stripes extend anteriorly from the neck onto the head. One of these on each side passes above the eye and onto the snout where it meets the stripe from the other side. Several others extend across the tympanum to contact the posterior rim of the orbit, and two additional stripes continue across the snout and pass ventral to the orbit. The neck, limbs, and tail are tan gray to olive or black with yellow, cream, or gray stripes or reticulations. M. caspica has 52 chromosomes; (Killebrew, 1977a; Bickham and Carr, 1983). Females are generally larger than males, have flat plastra and shorter tails with the vent under the rim of the carapace. The smaller males have concave plastra and longer, thicker tails with the vent beyond the rim of the carapace.

Systematics

Three subspecies are recognized: The eastern Caspian turtle, Siebenrock's Caspian turtle, and the spotted-bellied Caspian turtle. The western Caspian turtle was formerly treated as a subspecies but is now recognized as its own species.

The eastern Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica caspica) was recently split into three forms. The nominate subspecies occurs in central Turkey and northern Iran, northward to the Republic of Georgia and eastward to southwestern Turkmenistan. It has wider reticulations on its carapace than M. c. rivulata, and a yellow-to-tan plastron with a regularly shaped, large, dark blotch on each scute. These more-or-less symmetrically arranged plastral spots may merge to one dark central spot, but a yellow border to the plastron often remains. The soft parts are mainly dark, and the bridge is mainly yellow with some dark lines or spots (but may be dark in old melanistic individuals). Its plastral formula is fem > abd > pect > gul > hum > an for males, and abd > fem > pect > gul > hum > an for females.

Siebenrock's Caspian turtle (M. c. siebenrocki ) occurs in Iran and Iraq, with relict populations in Saudi Arabia and on the island of Bahrain; it intergrades with M. c. caspica in Mesopotamia. This light form with contrasting colors resembles M. c. caspica, but has a yellow-to-orange plastron with a small to medium-sized, regularly shaped dark blotch on each scute. The soft parts are lighter than in M. c. caspica, and, unlike in other subspecies, age-related melanism does not occur in this subspecies.

The spotted-bellied Caspian turtle (M. c. ventrimaculata) is endemic to the highlands of the Kor and Maharloo basins in southern Iran. It is distinguished from the M. c. caspica and M. c. siebenrocki subspecies by a yellow plastron with one or several irregularly shaped black spots on each scute. In older individuals this results in a complex plastral pattern of irregular dark markings.

The western Caspian turtle, formerly M. c. rivulata and now recognized as its own species Mauremys rivulata, ranges throughout southeastern Europe (former Yugoslavia to Greece, the Ionian Islands, Crete, and Cyprus), Bulgaria, eastern to south-central Turkey, coastal Syria, Lebanon, and Israel; records from the vicinity of Ankara and from Lake Emir are questioned by Fritz. This species has narrow or fine reticulations on its carapace (which may be lost with age), and a totally black plastron and bridge. Age-related flavism may occur, resulting in a mainly yellow plastron with black reduced to the seams. This species can be separated from melanistic M. c. caspica by differences in head, neck, and foreleg patterns. Its plastral formula usually is abd > fem > pect > gul > an > hum in both sexes, but variations of this have been described in İzmir populations.

According to Fritz and Wischuf, M. c. caspica sensu lato (caspica, siebenrocki and ventrimaculata) and M. c. rivulata only intergrade in two populations near the Turkish-Syrian border; no wide intergradation belt between these two forms exists. Therefore, they proposed that rivulata be separated as a "monotypic semi-species". Rivulata and members of the main caspica group are known to produce (presumably fertile) hybrids, so they should never be housed together in captivity

The Spanish pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa) was formerly considered a subspecies of M. caspica, but studies of the electrophoretic properties of its proteins, and studies of its morphology have shown it to be a separate species.

Etymology

The subspecific name, siebenrocki, is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Friedrich Siebenrock.

Ecology

Mauremys caspica occurs in large numbers in almost any permanent freshwater body within its range. It also lives in irrigation canals and is quite tolerant of brackish water. The turtles at one Iraq site lacked the ability to swim. Instead, they would crawl out of the water periodically to breathe and then slide back in again. A captive from there could not be induced to swim. Reed thought this behavior to be an adaptation to the extreme variability in the supply of surface water in the area.

Breeding usually takes place in early spring, but may also occur in the fall. The courtship behavior has not been described, but must be similar to that in captivity. Nesting occurs in June and July. A typical clutch is four to six, elongated 20-30 x 35–40 mm (1.0 x 1.5 in), brittle-shelled, white eggs. Hatchlings have round carapaces about 33 mm (1.3 in) in length, and are brighter colored than the adults. The Caspian turtle may occur in large populations in certain areas, especially in permanent water bodies. In temporary waters, it is forced to aestivate in the mud in summer, and the more northern populations hibernate during winter. It often basks, but disappears at the least disturbance. Many are killed each year by humans who obtain their eggs to use in treating ubiquitous eye ailments. Storks and vultures also take a heavy toll of juveniles and adults, respectively. It is carnivorous as juveniles with a shift towards being omnivorous as adults; larger individuals were observed to be more herbivorous. It feeds on small invertebrates, aquatic insects, amphibians, carrion, as well as a variety of aquatic and terrestrial plants.

References

Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 228–229. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
Gmelin, 1774.
^ Wischuf and Fritz, 1996.
^ Fritz and Wischuf, 1997.
Wischuf and Fritz, in Fritz and Wischuf, 1997.
Valenciennes, 1833.
Fritz, 1995c.
Taskavak et al., 1997.
Buskirk et al., 2001.
Merkle, 1975.
Busack and Ernst, 1980.
Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Mauremys caspica siebenrocki, p. 243).
Reed.
^ Anderson, 1979.

External links

An introduction to the Mauremys turtles of the Mediterranean

Family Geoemydidae

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae

Genera

Species of the family Geoemydidae

†Banhxeochelys

†Banhxeochelys trani

Batagur

Cuora

Cyclemys

†Echmatemys

Geoclemys

Black pond turtle

Geoemyda

Hardella

Brahminy river turtle

Heosemys

Leucocephalon

Sulawesi forest turtle

Malayemys

Mauremys

Melanochelys

Morenia

Notochelys

Malayan flat-shelled turtle

Orlitia

Malaysian giant turtle

Pangshura

Rhinoclemmys

Sacalia

Siebenrockiella

Vijayachelys

Cane turtle

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=Extinct.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Diapsida
Order: Testudines

Genus

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	†Acherontemys Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys †Wilburemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Testudinidae	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis †Cymatholcus †Floridemys Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys †Oligopherus Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

Chelydridae	Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Alienochelys †Archelon †Atlantochelys †Bouliachelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
	†Adocus †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Ctenochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers
Mauremys caspica	Wikidata: Q848321 Wikispecies: Mauremys caspica BOLD: 29440 CoL: 3YFW8 EoL: 791491 EUNIS: 740 GBIF: 2443374 iNaturalist: 39972 IRMNG: 10360235 ITIS: 551928 NAS: 1248 NBN: NHMSYS0000080226 NCBI: 202459 Observation.org: 79932 OBIS: 1506584 Open Tree of Life: 552142 Paleobiology Database: 137557 RD: caspica

Categories: