Kachuga smithii
Encyclopedia
Brown roofed turtle the is a species
of the Geoemydidae
family of turtle
s found in South Asia
.
much depressed, feebly keeled. Nuchal shield small, trapezoidal, broadest posteriorly; first vertebral with sinuous lateral borders, usually a little narrower in front than behind; second vertebral shortest, broader than long, usually with straight or slightly convex posterior border; third vertebral considerably longer than broad, subquadrangular, posterior border straight or slightly convex, fourth vertebral longest, tapering anteriorly and forming a narrow suture with the third; fifth vertebral much broader than the others. Plastron feebly angulated laterally, large; front lobe rounded, hind lobe angularly notched and as long as or a little shorter than the width of the bridge; the longest median suture is that between the abdominals, which about equals the length of the front lobe; gulars usually shorter than the suture between the humerals, their suture with the latter shields forming a right angle; inguinal large, axillary smaller. Head moderate; snout short, obtuse, feebly prominent; jaws with denticulated edge, upper not notched mesially; alveolar surface of upper jaw broad, the median ridge nearer the inner than the outer border; bony choanae between the orbits; the width of the lower jaw at the symphysis is less than the diameter of the orbit. Fore limbs with large transverse scales. Pale olive-brown above; dorsal keel usually blackish; plastral shields and lower surface of marginals dark brown, bordered with yellow. Length of shell 8.5 inches.
Races
They are considered to be herbivorous but in captivity
they can eat anything ranging from turtle sticks to fish pellets, as well as plants
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...
of 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:...
family of turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s found in 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...
.
Description
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...
much depressed, feebly keeled. Nuchal shield small, trapezoidal, broadest posteriorly; first vertebral with sinuous lateral borders, usually a little narrower in front than behind; second vertebral shortest, broader than long, usually with straight or slightly convex posterior border; third vertebral considerably longer than broad, subquadrangular, posterior border straight or slightly convex, fourth vertebral longest, tapering anteriorly and forming a narrow suture with the third; fifth vertebral much broader than the others. Plastron feebly angulated laterally, large; front lobe rounded, hind lobe angularly notched and as long as or a little shorter than the width of the bridge; the longest median suture is that between the abdominals, which about equals the length of the front lobe; gulars usually shorter than the suture between the humerals, their suture with the latter shields forming a right angle; inguinal large, axillary smaller. Head moderate; snout short, obtuse, feebly prominent; jaws with denticulated edge, upper not notched mesially; alveolar surface of upper jaw broad, the median ridge nearer the inner than the outer border; bony choanae between the orbits; the width of the lower jaw at the symphysis is less than the diameter of the orbit. Fore limbs with large transverse scales. Pale olive-brown above; dorsal keel usually blackish; plastral shields and lower surface of marginals dark brown, bordered with yellow. Length of shell 8.5 inches.
Races
- smithii: BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , 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...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , 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...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan... - pallidipes: IndiaIndiaIndia , 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...
, Nepal
As a pet
In Pakistan, its getting a very common as a household pet as it is cheaper to buy a Kachuga Smithii in Pakistan than a Red Eared Slider (imported Mostly from Bangkok or Hong Kong). Most Brown roofed turtles end up dead in captivity as captors have very little idea what to feed and how to treat them properly.They are considered to be herbivorous but in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
they can eat anything ranging from turtle sticks to fish pellets, as well as plants
External links
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Kachuga_smithi.jpg