Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle

Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 2.3)
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
Synonyms[1]
Geoemyda spengleri japonica Fan, 1931 Geoemyda japonica Yasukawa, Ota & Hikida, 1992 Geoemyda japonicus Joseph-Ouni, 2004

The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle or Ryukyu leaf turtle, Geoemyda japonica, is a species of turtles in the family Geoemydidae (formerly Bataguridae) endemic to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. In 1975, the species was designated a National Natural Monument of Japan.^[2] It grows to about 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.^[2]

Hybrids between different genera of Geoemydidae are rather commonplace. This species is known to hybridize with Cuora flavomarginata males in captivity and in the wild.^[3]

References

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). Geoemyda japonica. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 29 July 2007. Listed as Endangered (EN A1ce, B1+2c)
• Buskirk, James R.; Parham, James F. & Feldman, Chris R. (2005): On the hybridisation between two distantly related Asian turtles (Testudines: Sacalia × Mauremys). Salamandra 41: 21-26. PDF fulltext

External links

• IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group » Geoemyda japonica, 002

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.