Arakan forest turtle
Arakan forest turtle | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Arakan forest turtle inAtlanta Zoo | |
Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
Family: | Geoemydidae |
Genus: | Heosemys |
Species: | H. depressa
|
Binomial name | |
Heosemys depressa | |
Synonyms[2] | |
|
TheArakan forest turtle(Heosemys depressa) is acritically endangeredturtlespecies native to theArakan Hillsin westernMyanmar[1]and the borderingChittagong Hill TractsinBangladesh.[3]The Arakan forest turtle is a semiterrestrial turtle, meaning it can survive in aquatic as well as terrestrial habitats, but adults prefer living in terrestrial habitats.
Taxonomy
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Heosemys_depressa.jpg/220px-Heosemys_depressa.jpg)
Geoëmyda depressawas thescientific nameproposed byAndersonin 1875 who described azoological specimencollected in Arakan.[4]
Characteristics
[edit]The Arakan forest turtle has 18 plastral annuli, a carapace length of 22 cm (8.7 in) and weighs 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).[citation needed]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]In 2009, the Arakan forest turtles was discovered inRakhine Yoma Elephant Rangein Myanmar. The scientific team also labeled the area as a good prospective place to focus conservation efforts for the turtle, despite the fact that locals do occasionally hunt and eat them. Even with those activities, this protected area is difficult to access and lacks any human settlement, making any human interference with the turtle merely opportunistic. No large-scale commercial project hunts the turtle, nor would there be a demand for one, since the turtle is too difficult to find compared to the little profit there is for doing so. Furthermore, the area even has a low risk of beingexploited for natural resources.[5]
In 2015, a potential population was discovered during a non-governmental organization's citizen science project, suggesting a population of the Arakan turtle may reside in theChittagong Hill Tracts.[6]
Behaviour and ecology
[edit]The Arakan forest turtle is active at night and increases its activity during the early wet season. Local hunters found eggs in June and July when skinning female specimens, possibly revealing the reproductive system and cycle of the species.[5] It remains dormant the majority of the time and hides in leaves and debris. It is an omnivore, feeding on both animals and plants. Although it is considered a relatively reserved animal for the majority of its daily activity, it is aggressive when it comes to eating insects, worms, and fish. It also consumes fruit that falls to theforest floor.[7]
Threats
[edit]Arakan forest turtles are being traded byanimal pet dealersin China, who catch them in western Myanmar. In 2003, researchers took samples for research from nine Arakan forest turtles that had been imported to the Czech Republic to be kept in a private collection.[8]
Conservation
[edit]In captivity
[edit]As of 2009, a small number of turtles were present in captivity, and as of 2009, only theZoo Atlantahas successfully bred the turtles in captivity.[9]
References
[edit]- ^abcdPlatt, K.; Rahman, S.C.; Horne, B.D.; Praschag, P. (2020)."Heosemys depressa".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2020:e.T39596A2929864.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39596A2929864.en.Retrieved8 February2022.
- ^Uwe, F. & Havaš, P. (2007)."Checklist of Chelonians of the World".Vertebrate Zoology.57(2): 149–368.doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895.
- ^Rahman, S. C.; Rashid, S. M. A.; Datta, R. & Roy, C. J. (2015). "Status, exploitation, and conservation of freshwater turtles and tortoises in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh".Chelonian Conservation and Biology.14(2): 130–135.doi:10.2744/CCB-1146.1.S2CID86324690.
- ^Anderson, J. (1875)."Description of some new Asiatic mammals and Chelonia".The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology.4.16(9): 282–285.
- ^abPlatt, S. G.; Myo, K. M.; Ko, W. K.; Maung, A.; Rainwater, T. R. (2010)."Field observations and conservation ofHeosemys depressain the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range of western Myanmar "(PDF).Chelonian Conservation and Biology.9(1): 114–119.doi:10.2744/CCB-0813.1.S2CID86775422.[dead link]
- ^"Locals lead scientists to new population of near-extinct reptile".Mongabay Environmental News.2015.Retrieved2022-02-02.
- ^"Arakan Forest Turtle".Zoo Atlanta.Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2014.Retrieved23 March2014.
- ^Siroky, P. (2006)."Two Eimerian Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the critically endangered Arakan forest turtleHeosemys depressa(Testudines: Geoemydidae), with description ofEimeria arakanensisn. sp "(PDF).Acta Protozoologica.45(2): 183–189. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2017-08-11.Retrieved2012-10-26.
- ^"Critically endangered turtles found in Rakhine State (Heosemys depressa) ".European Studbook Foundation.Retrieved2022-02-02.
- Robbins, R. G. and Steven G. Platt. "Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington." Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 103.2 (2001): 1023–1024. <https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/54775>
- Ludwig, M.; Auer, M. & Fritz, U. (2007)."Phalangeal formulae of geoemydid terrapins (Batagur, Callagur, Hardella, Heosemys, Kachuga, Orlitia, Pangshura, Rhinoclemmys) reflect distinct modes of life"(PDF).Amphibia–Reptilia.28(4): 574–576.doi:10.1163/156853807782152570.
External links
[edit]- "Arakan Forest Turtle".St. Louis Zoo.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-04-09.Retrieved23 March2014.
- "Zoo Hatches Endangered Asian Turtle".CNN.2007. Archived fromthe originalon May 16, 2007.Retrieved23 March2014.
- "Arakan Forest Turtle".Atlanta Fulton County Zoo.2012. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-24.