ollectively known as “leaf turtles,” the species names in the following list demonstrate one of the weaknesses of common names. In both appearance and range, these species are diverse even as they are all native to Asia:
1. Cyclemys dentata (Asian leaf turtle, aka Brown stream terrapin);
2. Cyclemys tcheponensis (Stripe-necked leaf turtle);
3. Geoemyda spengleri (Black-breasted leaf turtle or Chinese leaf turtle, aka Vietnamese Wood Turtle);
4. Mauremys (Annamemys) annamensis (Vietnamese or Annam leaf turtle, aka Vietnamese Pond Turtle);
5. Siebenrockiella crassicollis (Borneo black leaf turtle, aka Malaysian Black Mud Turtle);
6. Hieremys annandalii (Yellow-headed temple turtle, aka Asian leaf turtle).
Focusing on Cyclemys dentata, the current article will profile the most widely studied species in this group. Moreover, rather than being a single species, as taxonomists initially thought, chelonian science …show more content…
dentata. Ordinarily, as the turtle matures, the edges of these marginal scutes transform shape from serrated to smooth.
As a member of the chelonian family of Old World Pond Turtles (Geoemydidae, formerly known as Bataguridae), C. dentata belongs to a large and diverse family of some 70 species that occur in tropical and subtropical Asia, Europe and North Africa, with a single genus, Rhinoclemmys, being native to Central and South America.
Officially described in 1831 by John Edward Gray (1800-1875), C. dentata is one of various species of cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales), reptiles and fish studied and described by the British zoologist. A prolific writer, during his tenure as the Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum (1840 to 1874), Gray produced over 1,000 papers on an array of topics related to his field of expertise.
1. Cyclemys dentata (Asian leaf turtle, aka Brown stream terrapin);
2. Cyclemys tcheponensis (Stripe-necked leaf turtle);
3. Geoemyda spengleri (Black-breasted leaf turtle or Chinese leaf turtle, aka Vietnamese Wood Turtle);
4. Mauremys (Annamemys) annamensis (Vietnamese or Annam leaf turtle, aka Vietnamese Pond Turtle);
5. Siebenrockiella crassicollis (Borneo black leaf turtle, aka Malaysian Black Mud Turtle);
6. Hieremys annandalii (Yellow-headed temple turtle, aka Asian leaf turtle).
Focusing on Cyclemys dentata, the current article will profile the most widely studied species in this group. Moreover, rather than being a single species, as taxonomists initially thought, chelonian science …show more content…
dentata. Ordinarily, as the turtle matures, the edges of these marginal scutes transform shape from serrated to smooth.
As a member of the chelonian family of Old World Pond Turtles (Geoemydidae, formerly known as Bataguridae), C. dentata belongs to a large and diverse family of some 70 species that occur in tropical and subtropical Asia, Europe and North Africa, with a single genus, Rhinoclemmys, being native to Central and South America.
Officially described in 1831 by John Edward Gray (1800-1875), C. dentata is one of various species of cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales), reptiles and fish studied and described by the British zoologist. A prolific writer, during his tenure as the Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum (1840 to 1874), Gray produced over 1,000 papers on an array of topics related to his field of expertise.