Cyclemys
Encyclopedia
Cyclemys, commonly referred to as Asian leaf turtles, is a genus
of freshwater turtles from the family Geoemydidae
. The genus occurs throughout Southeast
and South Asia
and currently contains seven species
.
Asian leaf turtles average at 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in length. They are mostly brown to greenish in color, with round to rectangular shells. Their carapace
bears a superficial resemblance to plant leaves
, hence their common name
. They can be found around shallow, slow-moving bodies of water in hilly forests. Adults are primarily terrestrial
, though juvenile
s are more aquatic
.
Geoemydidae
under the subfamily Geoemydinae
. They were first described in 1834 by the English zoologist, Thomas Bell
, in his work A Monograph of the Testudinata. Cyclemys and closely related genera (Cuora
, Pyxidea, and Notochelys), are believed to have diverged from a common Heosemys
-like ancestor.
Cyclemys taxonomy
and phylogeny has been historically difficult to ascertain due to the morphological
similarity between species, as well as changes in the color patterns during growth. Until recently it was thought that the genus comprised only one or two morphologically variable species,C. dentata and C. oldhamii. Subsequent investigation has now put the number of species under the genus to seven, though this remains controversial. The status of C. enigmatica as a valid species is contested, as is the recognition of C. atripons and C. pulchristiata, both of which are nearly impossible to tell apart morphologically.
Previously recognized species, C. tcheponensis ( = C. tiannanensis) and C. shanensis, have been merged into C. oldhamii following mtDNA sequencing. The conclusions of which showed that the morphological differences between them (the presence of absence of neck/head stripes, and hatchling color patterns) were not enough to classify them as separate species. C. ovata has been similarly subsumed into C. dentata.
There are two distinct morphological differences between Cyclemys species based on the main color of their plastron - species with yellow bellies (C. atripons, C. dentata, and C. pulchristiata), and species with dark bellies (C. enigmatica, C. fusca, C. gemeli, and C. oldhamii).
Synonyms
of Cyclemys (ex errore) include: Cyclemus Li, Cyclemis Good, and Cyclemy Mao.
The generic name Cyclemys comes from Greek
κύκλος
(meaning 'round' or 'circle', referring to the shape of the carapace
) and εμύς ('freshwater turtle'). They are known under the common name
Asian leaf turtles or simply leaf turtles, again because of the appearance of their carapace. They share the collective name 'leaf turtles' with turtles of the genus Geoemyda
, as well as turtles with 'leaf' in their names like the Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis
), among others. 'Asian leaf turtle' is also the specific common name of C. dentata.
which is typically dark green, brownish, tan, or olive in color. The shell may have a prominent vertebral keel running from head to tail. Serrated marginal scute
s are common in juveniles. In adults, only the posterior marginal scute
s are serrated.
Adult Cyclemys also develop a joint in the middle of their plastron (known as a plastral hinge), enabling it to articulate the front and rear halves to some extent. Unlike the closely related Cuora which can completely close its shell because of the hinge, Cyclemys plastral hinges only close the shell partially. The plastral hinge may also play a significant role in facilitating egg-laying in adult females.
A distinguishing characteristic of the genus is the secondary division of the abdominal scutes (the middle pair of scutes in the plastron) due to the development of the plastral hinge as the turtle matures. It eventually leads to the formation of small triangular additional scutes between the abdominal and pectoral scutes.
Cyclemys turtles are cryptodires
, having the ability to pull their heads straight back and vertically into their shells instead of folding it sideways like pleurodires
. The head varies between species from dull to striped with bright red or orange bands of color. The plastron can have a dark or light (tan to yellow) background which can be uniform or patterned with fine lines radiating from the center of each plastral scute.
Feet are partially webbed and well developed for either aquatic or terrestrial mobility. They can grow to about 25 cm (9.8 in) in length.
Cyclemys achieve sexual maturity after 7 to 12 years, earlier for males and later for females. Sexual dimorphism
is apparently mostly absent, though females are likely to outgrow males. Females usually deposit ten to fifteen eggs per clutch.
and Indochina
(Vietnam
, Myanmar
, Laos, Cambodia
, Burma, Thailand
, central to southern China
, Bangladesh
, Nepal
, and northeastern India
), as well as the Southeast Asia
n countries of Malaysia, Indonesia
, Brunei
, and the Philippines
.
Adult Cyclemys spend most of their time on land. They can be found near ponds, streams, and other shallow, slow-moving bodies of water in hilly forests. Although more common in lower elevations they have been found in higher elevations exceeding 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) above sea level
.
They are omnivorous
, but juveniles tend to be more carnivorous
. Because their prey is typically aquatic, the younger turtles are found in water more often than adults.
Several species previously classified under Cyclemys — C. amboinensis, C. flavomarginata, C. mouhotti, and C. trifasciata — are now classified under the genus Cuora
. C. annandalii is now classified under Heosemys
, C. annamensis under Mauremys
, and C. giebelii as Notochelys platynota
.
. In August 25, 1998, Forest Protection authorities of Vietnam
confiscated a shipment of about 700 turtles with an estimated 30 individuals of C. oldhamii. In May 2007, more than 3000 individuals of Cyclemys, along with Asian box turtles, were confiscated in hundreds of crates in Yangjiang
, China
.
The most commonly encountered species of Cyclemys in the pet trade, C. dentata, is now being captive bred
. They are usually preferred as they are healthier, more acclimated to handling, and captive breeding minimizes the impact on wild populations.
The confusion over their exact taxonomy and distribution led to an incomplete assessment of their conservation status by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). In 1991, with only two species recognized, Cyclemys was given the Action Plan Rating (APR) of 3 - in need of some conservation action. In the last assessment in 2000 by the Asian Turtle Trade Working Group of IUCN, the different species currently recognized under the genus Cyclemys were treated as all belonging to the species C. dentata. This resulted in the current incorrect classification of all of the species of Cyclemys as Lower Risk
/Near Threatened
. Until now, the true conservation status as well as the actual effects of wildlife trade
, deforestation, and habitat loss on individual Cyclemys species have yet to be studied.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of freshwater turtles from the family Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
. The genus occurs throughout Southeast
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and currently contains seven species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
Asian leaf turtles average at 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in length. They are mostly brown to greenish in color, with round to rectangular shells. Their carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
bears a superficial resemblance to plant leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
, hence their common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
. They can be found around shallow, slow-moving bodies of water in hilly forests. Adults are primarily terrestrial
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
, though juvenile
Juvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles sometimes look very different from the adult form, particularly in terms of their colour...
s are more aquatic
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
.
Taxonomy and nomenclature
Cyclemys turtles belong to the familyFamily (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae
Geoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
under the subfamily Geoemydinae
Geoemydinae
Geoemydinae is a subfamily of turtles. The following genera are placed here:* Chinemys * Cuora * Cyclemys * Geoemyda...
. They were first described in 1834 by the English zoologist, Thomas Bell
Thomas Bell (zoologist)
Thomas Bell FRS was an English zoologist, surgeon and writer, born in Poole, Dorset, UK.Bell, like his mother Susan, took a keen interest in natural history which his mother also encouraged in his younger cousin Philip Henry Gosse. Bell left Poole in 1813 for his training as a dental surgeon in...
, in his work A Monograph of the Testudinata. Cyclemys and closely related genera (Cuora
Cuora
Asian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae comprising 10–11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus...
, Pyxidea, and Notochelys), are believed to have diverged from a common Heosemys
Heosemys
Heosemys is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae . The genus Heosemys was split out of the related genus Geoemyda by McDowell in 1964.-Species:...
-like ancestor.
Cyclemys taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
and phylogeny has been historically difficult to ascertain due to the morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
similarity between species, as well as changes in the color patterns during growth. Until recently it was thought that the genus comprised only one or two morphologically variable species,C. dentata and C. oldhamii. Subsequent investigation has now put the number of species under the genus to seven, though this remains controversial. The status of C. enigmatica as a valid species is contested, as is the recognition of C. atripons and C. pulchristiata, both of which are nearly impossible to tell apart morphologically.
Previously recognized species, C. tcheponensis ( = C. tiannanensis) and C. shanensis, have been merged into C. oldhamii following mtDNA sequencing. The conclusions of which showed that the morphological differences between them (the presence of absence of neck/head stripes, and hatchling color patterns) were not enough to classify them as separate species. C. ovata has been similarly subsumed into C. dentata.
There are two distinct morphological differences between Cyclemys species based on the main color of their plastron - species with yellow bellies (C. atripons, C. dentata, and C. pulchristiata), and species with dark bellies (C. enigmatica, C. fusca, C. gemeli, and C. oldhamii).
Synonyms
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of Cyclemys (ex errore) include: Cyclemus Li, Cyclemis Good, and Cyclemy Mao.
The generic name Cyclemys comes from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
κύκλος
Kuklos
Kuklos means "ring" or "circle" in Greek, and can refer to:*Kuklos Adelphon, a Southern US fraternity that eventually became The Kappa Alpha Order.*Kuklos Anankes, the circle of necessity in Mysticism*The Kuklos, a revolving restaurant in the Swiss Alps...
(meaning 'round' or 'circle', referring to the shape of the carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
) and εμύς ('freshwater turtle'). They are known under the common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
Asian leaf turtles or simply leaf turtles, again because of the appearance of their carapace. They share the collective name 'leaf turtles' with turtles of the genus Geoemyda
Geoemyda
Geoemyda is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae . It contains the following species:* Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtle, Geoemyda japonica* Black-breasted Hill Turtle, Geoemyda spengleri...
, as well as turtles with 'leaf' in their names like the Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis
Mauremys annamensis
The Vietnamese pond turtle or Annam leaf turtle is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.It can be distinguished from its relatives by its color pattern: the head is dark with three or four yellow stripes down the side...
), among others. 'Asian leaf turtle' is also the specific common name of C. dentata.
Description
Cyclemys turtles are characterized by a more or less round carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
which is typically dark green, brownish, tan, or olive in color. The shell may have a prominent vertebral keel running from head to tail. Serrated marginal scute
Scute
A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...
s are common in juveniles. In adults, only the posterior marginal scute
Scute
A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...
s are serrated.
Adult Cyclemys also develop a joint in the middle of their plastron (known as a plastral hinge), enabling it to articulate the front and rear halves to some extent. Unlike the closely related Cuora which can completely close its shell because of the hinge, Cyclemys plastral hinges only close the shell partially. The plastral hinge may also play a significant role in facilitating egg-laying in adult females.
A distinguishing characteristic of the genus is the secondary division of the abdominal scutes (the middle pair of scutes in the plastron) due to the development of the plastral hinge as the turtle matures. It eventually leads to the formation of small triangular additional scutes between the abdominal and pectoral scutes.
Cyclemys turtles are cryptodires
Cryptodira
Cryptodira is the taxonomic suborder of Testudines that includes most living tortoises and turtles. Cryptodira differ from Pleurodira in that they lower their necks and pull the heads straight back into the shells; instead of folding their necks sideways along the body under the shells' margins...
, having the ability to pull their heads straight back and vertically into their shells instead of folding it sideways like pleurodires
Pleurodira
The Pleurodira are one of the two living suborders of turtles, the other being the Cryptodira. In many cases in the nomenclature of animals, ranks such as suborder are considered of little importance apart from nomenclatural or taxonomic reasons. However, this is not the case with the suborders of...
. The head varies between species from dull to striped with bright red or orange bands of color. The plastron can have a dark or light (tan to yellow) background which can be uniform or patterned with fine lines radiating from the center of each plastral scute.
Feet are partially webbed and well developed for either aquatic or terrestrial mobility. They can grow to about 25 cm (9.8 in) in length.
Cyclemys achieve sexual maturity after 7 to 12 years, earlier for males and later for females. Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
is apparently mostly absent, though females are likely to outgrow males. Females usually deposit ten to fifteen eggs per clutch.
Lifespan
A C. dentata individual has been recorded living up to 14.7 years in captivity. However, an adult specimen caught in the wild has also been recorded living up to another 14 years, making it likely that the maximum lifespan of Cyclemys species has been underestimated.Distribution and habitat
The distribution ranges of individual species of Cyclemys remain unclear but the genus occurs in South AsiaSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
(Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Laos, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Burma, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, central to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and northeastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), as well as the Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n countries of Malaysia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Adult Cyclemys spend most of their time on land. They can be found near ponds, streams, and other shallow, slow-moving bodies of water in hilly forests. Although more common in lower elevations they have been found in higher elevations exceeding 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
.
They are omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, but juveniles tend to be more carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
. Because their prey is typically aquatic, the younger turtles are found in water more often than adults.
Species
Listed alphabetically along with common names, identifying adult characteristics, and known geographical distribution. They are divided into two morphologically distinct groups.Yellow-bellied species
- Cyclemys atripons Iverson & McCold, 1997 – Western black-bridged leaf turtleWestern black-bridged leaf turtleCyclemys atripons, commonly known as the Western black-bridged leaf turtle, is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in Southern Indochina.-Description:...
or Striped leaf turtle. Carapace is reddish brown, ovoid to elongated, with or without fine radiating black patterns. Plastron is mostly yellow with or without fine radiating black lines. The head is speckled and the throat yellow. The neck is striped. Hatchlings have wide head and neck stripes and a yellow plastron with large dark spots. The common name of the species refers to the color of the bridge (the area where the plastron and the carapace meet) which is predominantly yellow with black stripes or entirely black. Found in Cambodia, Southeast Thailand, and Vietnam (Annam).
- Cyclemys dentata (Gray, 1831) – Brown stream terrapin or Asian leaf turtleAsian Leaf TurtleThe Asian leaf turtle Cyclemys dentata is a species of turtle found in Southeast Asia. They are quite common in the pet trade with its carapace resembling that of a Cuora amboinensis hybrid.- Feeding :...
. Carapace is dark brown, ovoid, with or without fine radiating black patterns. Plastron is mostly yellow with or without fine radiating black lines. The head is speckled with a dark yellow striped throat. The neck is striped. The bridge is yellow, with or without black radiating lines. It is the most common species of Cyclemys in the pet trade. The carapace has a prominent keel. Hatchlings have narrow head and neck stripes and a brownish mottled plastron. Hatchlings also exhibit strongly serrated carapaces. Found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra, Borneo, Bali), Malaysia, the Philippines (Palawan, Sulu archipelago, Calamian), Singapore, N. India, and peninsular Thailand.
- Cyclemys pulchristiata Fritz, Gaulke, and Lehr 1997 - Eastern black-bridged leaf turtleEastern black-bridged leaf turtleCyclemys pulchristiata, commonly known as the Eastern black-bridged leaf turtle, is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in Southern Indochina.-Description:...
. Carapace is reddish brown, ovoid to elongated, with wide radiating black lines or large black specks. Plastron is mostly yellow and may have short fat lines, specks, or be uniformly colored. The head is speckled with a yellow throat. The neck is striped. Hatchlings have wide head and neck stripes and a yellow plastron. The bridge is predominantly yellow with black stripes or entirely black. It is mostly morphologically indistinguishable from C. atripons, requiring genetic sampling to confidently identify. Some authorities consider this species to be a junior synonym to or a subspeciesSubspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of C. atripons. Found in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Dark-bellied species
- Cyclemys enigmatica Fritz, Guicking, Auer, Sommer, Wink & Hundsdörfer, 2008 - Enigmatic leaf turtleEnigmatic leaf turtleCyclemys enigmatica, tentatively dubbed as the Enigmatic leaf turtle, is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in the Greater Sunda Islands.-Description:...
. Carapace is dark brown and slightly reddish, ovoid, and lacks patterns in adults. Plastron is dark brown to black with or without dense black radiating patterns. The head is tan to a light reddish-brown in color. The throat and neck is uniformly dark. The bridge is dark brown to black. Hatchlings lack head and neck stripes and have brownish mottled plastrons. Geographic range overlaps with C. dentata. Found in Brunei (?), Malaysia, and Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra).
- Cyclemys fusca Fritz, Guicking, Auer, Sommer, Wink & Hundsdörfer, 2008 - Myanmar brown leaf turtleMyanmar brown leaf turtleCyclemys fusca, commonly known as the Myanmar brown leaf turtle, is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in Myanmar.-Description:Carapace is dark brown, ovoid, and lacks patterns in adults. Plastron is Dark brown to black with or without dense black radiating lines. The head is greenish yellow. The...
. Carapace is dark brown, ovoid, and lacks patterns in adults. Plastron is Dark brown to black with or without dense black radiating lines. The head is greenish yellow. The throat and neck is uniformly dark. The bridge is dark brown to black. Found in Myanmar (Kachin), perhaps adjacent India and Bangladesh.
- Cyclemys gemeli Fritz, Guicking, Auer, Sommer, Wink & Hundsdörfer, 2008 - Assam leaf turtleAssam leaf turtleCyclemys gemeli, commonly known as the Assam leaf turtle, is a species of Asian leaf turtle found in Northeastern India and Bangladesh.-Taxonomy and nomenclature:The species was named after the Austrian herpetologist Richard Gemel.-Description:...
. Carapace lacks patterns in adults. It is elongated and relatively flat, with nearly parallel sides. Plastron is unpatterned and dark brown. The head is brown and the throat and neck uniformly dark. The bridge is also dark brown. Found in Bangladesh and India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal).
- Cyclemys oldhamii Gray, 1863 – Oldham’s leaf turtle, Southeast Asian leaf turtle. Carapace is dark brown, rectangular, and unpatterned in adults. Plastron is dark brown to black with or without dense black radiating lines. The head is speckled with a dark throat. The neck varies from uniformly dark (western populations) to striped (eastern populations). The bridge is dark brown to black. Hatchlings have narrow head and neck stripes and brownish plastrons mottled along the edges with a large dark central region. Found in Cambodia, China (?), Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java), Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia (West Borneo), Thailand, Vietnam, India (TeraiTeraiThe Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
), and Nepal.
Several species previously classified under Cyclemys — C. amboinensis, C. flavomarginata, C. mouhotti, and C. trifasciata — are now classified under the genus Cuora
Cuora
Asian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae comprising 10–11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus...
. C. annandalii is now classified under Heosemys
Heosemys
Heosemys is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae . The genus Heosemys was split out of the related genus Geoemyda by McDowell in 1964.-Species:...
, C. annamensis under Mauremys
Mauremys
Mauremys is a genus of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . Ocadia and Chinemys are included here by some scientists, but not by the majority nor by hobbyists.Species include:...
, and C. giebelii as Notochelys platynota
Notochelys platynota
The Malayan flat-shelled turtle Notochelys platynota is a species of turtle found in Southeast Asia.-Distribution:Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, West Malaysia, Indonesia , Vietnam, Singapore....
.
Conservation
Cyclemys are often caught and sold for the pet trade, food, or traditional medicineTraditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
. In August 25, 1998, Forest Protection authorities of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
confiscated a shipment of about 700 turtles with an estimated 30 individuals of C. oldhamii. In May 2007, more than 3000 individuals of Cyclemys, along with Asian box turtles, were confiscated in hundreds of crates in Yangjiang
Yangjiang
Yangjiang , historically known as Yeungkong, is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Maoming to the west, Yunfu to the north, Jiangmen to the east, and looks out to the South China Sea to the south. It is famous for being the base of...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The most commonly encountered species of Cyclemys in the pet trade, C. dentata, is now being captive bred
Captive breeding
Captive breedingis the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities; sometimes the process is construed to include release of individual organisms to the wild, when there is sufficient...
. They are usually preferred as they are healthier, more acclimated to handling, and captive breeding minimizes the impact on wild populations.
The confusion over their exact taxonomy and distribution led to an incomplete assessment of their conservation status by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). In 1991, with only two species recognized, Cyclemys was given the Action Plan Rating (APR) of 3 - in need of some conservation action. In the last assessment in 2000 by the Asian Turtle Trade Working Group of IUCN, the different species currently recognized under the genus Cyclemys were treated as all belonging to the species C. dentata. This resulted in the current incorrect classification of all of the species of Cyclemys as Lower Risk
Lower Risk
An animal with the conservation status of Lower Risk is one with populations sufficiently high so as to ensure its survival in the long run. Animals with this status do not qualify as being Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered....
/Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
. Until now, the true conservation status as well as the actual effects of wildlife trade
Wildlife trade
The international wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem, addressed by the United Nations' Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES, which currently has 175 member countries called Parties. The 15th meeting of the Parties took place in Doha,...
, deforestation, and habitat loss on individual Cyclemys species have yet to be studied.
See also
- CuoraCuoraAsian box turtles are turtles of the genus Cuora in the family Geoemydidae comprising 10–11 species with about the same number of subspecies. The keeled box turtle is often included in this genus but is also often placed in its own genus...
, Asian box turtles - GeoemydidaeGeoemydidaeGeoemydidae is the largest and most diverse family in the order Testudines with about 70 species. It includes the Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.-Characteristics:...
- GeoemydaGeoemydaGeoemyda is a genus of freshwater turtles in the family Geoemydidae . It contains the following species:* Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtle, Geoemyda japonica* Black-breasted Hill Turtle, Geoemyda spengleri...
- MauremysMauremysMauremys is a genus of turtle in the family Geoemydidae . Ocadia and Chinemys are included here by some scientists, but not by the majority nor by hobbyists.Species include:...
, pond turtles - TurtleTurtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...