Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle

Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae
Subfamily: Geoemydinae
Genus: Geoemyda
Species: G. japonica
Binomial name
Geoemyda japonica
Fan, 1931

The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle or Ryukyu leaf turtle, Geoemyda japonica, is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae). It is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. In 1975 the species was designated a National Natural Monument of Japan.[1] It grows to approximately 5–6 inches long. In captivity it feeds on worms, snails, insects, and fruit. Due to its rarity and very attractive appearance, this species is highly coveted by turtle collectors worldwide.

At first it was considered a subspecies of Geoemyda spengleri, and named Geoemyda spengleri japonica. It was redescribed as a separate species and given its current binomial name in 1992.[1]

Hybrids between different species of Geoemydidae are rather commonplace. This species is known to hybridize with males of the Cuora flavomarginata in captivity and in the wild.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Yasukawa, Yuichirou; Yuichirou Yasukawa and Hidetoshi Ota (2008-05-15). "Geoemyda Japonica Fan 1931 – Ryukyu Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle, Okinawa Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle" (PDF). Chelonian Research Monographs (Chelonian Research Foundation) 5 (5): pp. 002.1–6. doi:10.3854/crm.5.002.japonica.v1.2008. ISSN 1088-7105. http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_002_japonica_v1_2008.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-23. 
  2. ^ Buskirk et al. (2005).

External links