Pelochelys cantorii

Taxobox | name = Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle
status = EN| status_system = iucn2.3


image_width = 240px
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Testudines
subordo = Cryptodira
familia = Trionychidae
genus = "Pelochelys"
species = "P. cantorii"
binomial = "Pelochelys cantorii"
binomial_authority = Gray, 1864
synonyms =
range_

range_map_width = 250px
range_map_caption = The Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle ("Pelochelys cantorii") is a species of fresh water turtle. The turtle has a broad head and small eyes close to the tip of its snout. The carapace is smooth and olive colored. Juveniles may have dark-spotted carapaces and heads, with yellow around the carapace.Ernst, Barbour, and Altenburg, "Turtles of the World," 1998.]

Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtles can grow up to 6 feet (about 2 meters) in length and weigh more than 100 pounds (about 50 kilograms).Mydans, "How to Survive in Cambodia: For a Turtle, Beneath Sand," "New York Times," May 18, 2007.]

"P. cantorii" is an ambush predator and primarily carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans, mollusks and fish (although some aquatic plants may also be eaten). The turtle spends 95 percent of its life buried and motionless, with only its eyes and mouth protruding from the sand. It surfaces only twice a day to take a breath, and lays 20-28 eggs (about 1.2 to 1.4 inches [3.0-3.5cm] in diameter) in February or March on riverbanks. [Das, "Indian Turtles: A Field Guide," 1985.]

Distribution

The turtle is found primarily in inland, slow-moving fresh water rivers and streams. There is some evidence that its range extends to coastal areas as well.

The turtle was once distributed across India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sumatra, Borneo, and western Java. [McCord and Joseph-Ouni, "Flapshell and Giant Asian Softshell Turtles," "Reptilia," 26:59-64.]

The turtle is regarded as endangered, and has disappeared from much of its range. Until recently, it was last seen in Cambodia in 2003. A 2007 survey of one area of the Mekong River in Cambodia found the turtle in abundance along a short 30-mile (48 kilometer) stretch of the river. [Munthit, "Rare Turtle's New Chance," "Associated Press," May 16, 2007.]

Taxonomy

Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle is not to be confused with the Asian giant soft-shelled turtle ("Pelochelys bibroni") or other giant soft-shelled turtles. "P. cantorii" is relatively unstudied, and it is possible that the current species may actually be comprised of several taxa. One recent scholarly study [Webb, "Redescription and neotype designation of "Pelochelys bibroni" from southern New Guinea (Testudines: Trionychidae)," "Chelonian Conserv. & Biol.," 1995.] showed that what was once thought to be "P. cantorii" in New Guinea was actually "Pelochelys bibroni", and that earlier studies [For example, Gray, "Revision of the species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with descriptions of some new species," "Proc. Zool. Soc. London," 1864, and Boulenger, "On the occurrence of Pelochelys in China," "Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist," 1891.] of "P. cantorii" only described populations further to the west.

Notes

References

* [http://www.iucnredlist.org Asian Turtle Trade Working Group 2000. "Pelochelys cantorii." In "IUCN 2006." 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.] Accessed May 11, 2007.
*Baur, G. (1891) "Notes on the trionychian genus "Pelochelys"." "Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist." (6) 7: 445-447.
*Boulenger, G.A. (1891) "On the occurrence of Pelochelys in China." "Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist." (6) 7: 283-284.
*Das, Indraneil. "Indian Turtles: A Field Guide." Calcutta: World Wildlife Fund-India (Eastern Region), 1985.
* [http://nlbif.eti.uva.nl/bis/turtles.php?menuentry=soorten&id=212 Ernst, Carl H.; Barbour, Roger W.; and Altenburg, R.G.M. "Turtles of the World." Rev. paperback ed. New York: Springer-Verlag New York, LLC, 1998. ISBN 3540145478] Accessed May 18, 2007.
*McCord, William P.and Joseph-Ouni, Mehdi. (2003) "Flapshell and Giant Asian Softshell Turtles." "Reptilia." 26:59-64.
*Mydans, Seth. "How to Survive in Cambodia: For a Turtle, Beneath Sand." "New York Times." May 18, 2007.
*Gray, J.E. (1864) "Revision of the species of Trionychidae found in Asia and Africa, with descriptions of some new species." "Proc. Zool. Soc. London." 1864: 76-98.
*Munthit, Ker. "Rare Turtle's New Chance." "Associated Press." May 16, 2007.
*Webb, R.G. (1995) "Redescription and neotype designation of "Pelochelys bibroni" from southern New Guinea (Testudines: Trionychidae)." "Chelonian Conserv. & Biol." 1: 301-310.
*Webb, Robert G. (2002) "Observations on the Giant Softshell Turtle, "Pelochelys cantorii", with description of a new species." "Hamadryad." 27 (1): 99-107.

External links

* [http://www.tigr.org/reptiles/species.php?genus=Pelochelys&species=cantorii "Pelochelys cantorii"." The Reptile Database. No date.] Accessed May 18, 2007.
* [http://www.chelonia.org/pelochelys_gallery.htm "Pelochelys" Gallery." Turtle and Tortoise Information. World Chelonian Trust. No date.] Accessed May 18, 2007.