Mauremys annamensis
Encyclopedia
The Vietnamese pond turtle or Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis) 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. The plastron (belly shield) is firmly attached, yellow or orange, with black blotch on each scute
.
Endemic to a small area in central Vietnam
, it was reportedly abundant in the 1930s but all field surveys after 1941 had failed to locate any individuals in the wild. As it was occasionally seen traded as food, it was not yet extinct in the wild however.
In 2006 a wild population of Mauremys annamensis was found near Hội An
in Quảng Nam Province
. Despite its rarity, specimens of Mauremys annamensis have been observed for sale in China
and Hong Kong
and have been illicitly imported into the USA. A small number of Mauremys annamensis are being captive-bred on Hainan Island in southern China, as well as at the Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center located in Cuc Phuong National Park
in northern Vietnam. The species is nonetheless close to extinction in the wild, as illegal hunting seems to continue.
Hybridization with other Geoemydidae is known to occur. The species has produced hybrids with the Malayan Box Turtle in captivity. In addition, the supposed new species Ocadia glyphistoma
has turned out to be the offspring of a male Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle
and a female of the present species; it might have been taken from the wild or also have been captive-bred. Captive Vietnamese Pond Turtle - which are occasionally available to experienced hobbyists, under the auspices of the IUCN.coordinated captive-breeding program - must therefore never be housed together with related 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...
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...
in the family
Family (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:...
.
It can be distinguished from its relatives by its color pattern: the head is dark with three or four yellow stripes down the side. The plastron (belly shield) is firmly attached, yellow or orange, with black blotch on each 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:...
.
Endemic to a small area in central 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 –...
, it was reportedly abundant in the 1930s but all field surveys after 1941 had failed to locate any individuals in the wild. As it was occasionally seen traded as food, it was not yet extinct in the wild however.
In 2006 a wild population of Mauremys annamensis was found near Hội An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
in Quảng Nam Province
Quang Nam Province
Quảng Nam is a province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thua Thien-Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum Province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi Province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the...
. Despite its rarity, specimens of Mauremys annamensis have been observed for sale in 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...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and have been illicitly imported into the USA. A small number of Mauremys annamensis are being captive-bred on Hainan Island in southern China, as well as at the Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center located in Cuc Phuong National Park
Cuc Phuong National Park
Cuc Phuong National Park is located in Ninh Binh Province, in Vietnam's Red River Delta. Cuc Phuong was Vietnam's first national park and is the country's largest nature reserve...
in northern Vietnam. The species is nonetheless close to extinction in the wild, as illegal hunting seems to continue.
Hybridization with other Geoemydidae is known to occur. The species has produced hybrids with the Malayan Box Turtle in captivity. In addition, the supposed new species Ocadia glyphistoma
Ocadia glyphistoma
"Ocadia glyphistoma" is an intergeneric hybrid turtle in the Geoemydidae family . Originally described as a new species supposedly endemic to Guangxi/China; it was classified as Data Deficient in the IUCN Red List....
has turned out to be the offspring of a male Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle
Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle
The Chinese stripe-necked turtle is a species of turtle in the Geoemydidae family. It is found in China , Taiwan, and northern & central Vietnam....
and a female of the present species; it might have been taken from the wild or also have been captive-bred. Captive Vietnamese Pond Turtle - which are occasionally available to experienced hobbyists, under the auspices of the IUCN.coordinated captive-breeding program - must therefore never be housed together with related species.