Chinese stripe-necked turtle

Chinese stripe-necked turtle
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae
Genus: Ocadia (previously Mauremys)
Species: O. sinensis
Binomial name
Ocadia sinensis
(Gray, 1834)
Synonyms[2]
  • Emys sinensis Gray, 1834
  • Emys bennettii Gray, 1844
  • Graptemys sinensis Agassiz, 1857
  • Clemmys bennettii Strauch, 1862
  • Clemmys sinensis Strauch, 1862
  • Emys chinensis Gray, 1870 (ex errore)
  • Mauremys sinensis Gray, 1870
  • Testudo anyangensis Ping, 1930
  • Pseudocadia anyangensis Lindholm, 1931
  • Mauremys sinensis changwui Tao, 1988
  • Mauremys sinensis sinensis Artner, 2003

The Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Ocadia sinensis) or golden thread turtle, is a species of turtle in the Geoemydidae family.

Like many other Geoemydidae, this species hybridizes vigorously with related and not-so-closely related members of its family.

It is one of the two most commonly found species used for divination that have been recovered from Shang dynasty sites.[3]

Habitat

Chinese-stripe-necked turtles have a green body. As a juvenile, it's carapace is grayish green and there are three distinctive ridges. As an adult, the color fades to a brown color and the two ridges gradually disappear. The plastron is ivory in color with small black spots. The male's tail is more coarse and long, while adult females will be larger than the males.

Distribution

It is found in China (Hainan, Guangdong & Fujian), Taiwan, Laos and northern & central Vietnam.

Habitat

This species prefers low altitude waters such as ponds, canals, and slow-moving rivers.

Conservation

Chinese stripe-necked turtles are protected by the CITES and IUCN, captive-breeding Chinese stripe-necked turtles are approved. Another reason that affects it's population is the invasion of red-eared sliders. In Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan and in some other countries, it is a popular pet turtle.

Hybridization

In captivity, hybrids have been produced between this species and Japanese pond turtle and the Chinese pond turtle, as well as with a male Cyclemys (oldhami) shanensis. The supposed species Ocadia glyphistoma is a hybrid between a male O. sinensis and a female Vietnamese pond turtle. A species nearly extinct in the wild. Ocadia philippeni was also shown to be of hybrid origin, a male Ocadia sinensis with a female Cuora trifasciata. Both are either naturally occurring or bred for the pet trade. Any individuals that are available as pets therefore need to be kept separate from other members of the family to prevent hybridization.

Reproduction

After mating, the female turtle may lay 5-20 eggs that hatch about 60 days when needed.

Footnotes

  1. Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). "Ocadia sinensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  2. Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology 57 (2): 234. ISSN 18640-5755. Archived from the original on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  3. Keightley (1979), see especially pp. 160, 189-194.

References