Indian eyed turtle

Indian eyed turtle
Illustration
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	Geoemydidae
Subfamily:	Geoemydinae
Genus:	Morenia
Species:	M. petersi
Binomial name
Morenia petersi (Anderson, 1879)
Synonyms[1]
Batagur (Morenia) petersi Anderson, 1879 Morenia petersi — Boulenger, 1889

The Indian eyed turtle (Morenia petersi ) is a species of turtle endemic to South Asia.

Geographic range

M. petersi is found in northeastern India (as far west as Bihar) and in Bangladesh.

Etymology

The specific name, petersi, is in honour of German herpetologist Wilhelm Peters (1815–1883).^[2]

Description

Morenia petersi is very closely allied to Morenia ocellata. The snout is much more pointed and relatively longer. The suture between the pectorals is not shorter than the suture between the abdominals. The carapace is black. Each vertebral has a narrow yellowish mesial line. The last four vertebrals have a yellowish linear horseshoe mark with both ends directed forward. All costals have an ocellus placed rather low and formed by a narrow yellowish line, above which are some irregular looped lines of similar colour. The nuchal and each marginal have a narrow, vertical yellowish mesial streak. The plastron is yellow. There are three yellow streaks on each side of the head, the lower one extending from below the nostril to the angle of the mouth.^[3] Males can achieve a carapace length of up to 5 inches (about 12 cm); females can achieve a shell length of up to 8 inches (about 20 cm).^[3]

Type locality: Huzurapur (Jessore District), Faridpur, and Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Reproduction

Mating occurs in the winter months, and nesting follows in April–May. A clutch is made up of two eggs 34.6–35 mm x 22 mm (1.4 in x 0.9 in).

References

Further reading

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). "Morenia petersi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 9 May 2006.  Database entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable
• Anderson J (1879). Anatomical and Zoological Researches: Comprising an Account of the Zoological Results of the Two Expeditions to Western Yunnan in 1866 and 1875; and a Monograph of the Two Cetacean Genera Platanista and Orcella. London: Bernard Quaritch. Two volumes (Text: 985 pages [herpetology: pages 703-860, 969-975]; Atlas: 85 plates [herpetological plates 55-78, 75A, 75B]). (Batagur petersi, new species, pp. 761-764 + Plate 69).
• Das I (1991). Colour Guide to the Turtles and Tortoises of the Indian Subcontinent. Avon, England: R&A Publishing. 133 pages.

External links

• Photo of Morenia petersi
• Morenia petersi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database

Turtle family Geoemydidae
Genus	Species of the family Geoemydidae
Batagur	Burmese roofed turtle Northern river terrapin Painted terrapin Red-crowned roofed turtle Southern river terrapin Three-striped roofed turtle
Cuora	Amboina box turtle Bourret's box turtle Indochinese box turtle McCord's box turtle Keeled box turtle Pan's box turtle Southern Vietnamese box turtle Chinese three-striped box turtle Yellow-headed box turtle Yellow-margined box turtle Yunnan box turtle Zhou's box turtle
Cyclemys	Asian leaf turtle Assam leaf turtle Eastern black-bridged leaf turtle Enigmatic leaf turtle Myanmar brown leaf turtle Oldham's leaf turtle Western black-bridged leaf turtle
Geoclemys	Black pond turtle
Geoemyda	Black-breasted leaf turtle Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle
Hardella	Brahminy river turtle
Heosemys	Arakan forest turtle Giant Asian pond turtle Spiny turtle Yellow-headed temple turtle
Leucocephalon	Sulawesi forest turtle
Malayemys	Malayan snail-eating turtle Mekong snail-eating turtle
Mauremys	Balkan pond turtle Caspian turtle Chinese pond turtle Chinese stripe-necked turtle Japanese pond turtle Red-necked pond turtle Spanish pond turtle Vietnamese pond turtle Yellow pond turtle
Melanochelys	Indian black turtle Tricarinate hill turtle
Morenia	Burmese eyed turtle Indian eyed turtle
Notochelys	Malayan flat-shelled turtle
Orlitia	Malaysian giant turtle
Pangshura	Assam roofed turtle Brown roofed turtle Indian roofed turtle Indian tent turtle
Rhinoclemmys	Black river turtle Brown wood turtle Colombian wood turtle Furrowed wood turtle Large-nosed wood turtle Maracaibo wood turtle Mexican spotted wood turtle Painted wood turtle Spot-legged turtle
Sacalia	Beal's eyed turtle Four-eyed turtle
Siebenrockiella	Black marsh turtle Philippine forest turtle
Vijayachelys	Cane turtle
Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist.