The Balkan terrapin or western Caspian terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) is a species of terrapin in the familyGeoemydidae. It is found in the eastern Mediterranean region. While technically omnivorous, the terrapins are known to prefer meat. They can grow to 25 cm in carapace length, although hatchlings are usually only 3 to 4 cm in length.
It is found in the Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Greece), a number of Mediterranean islands including Crete, Lesvos and Cyprus, and in the Middle East (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey).[4] On some Greek and Turkish islands where the terrapins are found, they may be threatened with extirpation.[5]
Physical descriptionedit
Balkan terrapin emerging from a river
Mauremys rivulata are fairly large, with carapace lengths up to 25 cm (9.8 in); hatchling turtles of this species are usually between 3 and 4 centimetres (1.2 and 1.6 in) in length.[5] The average strait carapace length is roughly 15 cm (5.9 in); females are slightly larger.[6][7] The terrapins' carapaces are black to olive green in colour, and the plastron (the shell on the belly) black, although the latter frequently fades as the turtles age. The species also has horizontal yellowish lines running along the neck and limbs.[7]
Habitat and ecologyedit
The species is mostly lowland, although the terrapins have been recorded as far up as 900 metres (3,000 ft) above sea level. They are found in wetland habitats, including swamps, rivers, and ponds, although they lay their eggs in grassland regions.
Mauremys rivulata are preyed on by large birds and predacious mammals such as mongoose who also feed on the terrapins' eggs, although smaller carnivores may prey on younger turtles with softer shells.[7]
Dietedit
Mauremys rivulata is an omnivorous species, eating both plants and animals, although a preference for meat is documented. Young terrapins will eat small invertebrates as well as small amphibian larvae or carcasses; adult terrapins are known to also eat algae and aquatic plants.[7]
In the northern portion of its range, the species may hibernate during the winter.[5] Although the terrapins may accept bread offered by humans, they do not have the enzymes needed to digest it, and such offerings are thus bad for their health.[7]
Referencesedit
Citationsedit
^van Dijk, P.P.; Lymberakis, P.; Ahmed Mohammed Mousa Disi; Ajtic, R.; Tok, V.; Ugurtas, I.; Sevinç, M.; Haxhiu, I. (2004). "Mauremys rivulata ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004. IUCN: e.T158470A5200041.
^Fritz, Uwe; Havaš, Peter (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2). At the request of the CITES Nomenclature Committee and the German Agency for Nature Conservation and funded by the Museum für Tierkunde Dresden and the German Federal Ministry of Environment: 149–368. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
^Mauremys rivulata at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 9 March 2019.
^ abcBroggi, Mario F. (2023-08-23). "Occurrence and tentative population status of the Balkan Terrapin (Mauremys rivulata, Valenciennes, 1833) on Greek islands". Herpetozoa. 36: 233–247. doi:10.3897/herpetozoa.36.e100533. ISSN 2682-955X.
^Metin, K.; Koca, Y. Başimoğlu; Kiral, F. Kargin; Koca, S.; Türkozan, O. (2008). "Blood Cell Morphology and Plasma Biochemistry of Captive Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) and Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes, 1833)" (PDF). Acta Veterinaria Brno. 77 (2): 163–174. doi:10.2754/avb200877020163. ISSN 0001-7213. S2CID 86550290.
^ abcdeŠtih, Ana; Koren, Toni; Zadravec, Mladen (2015). The Balkan Terrapin - secretive resident of southern Croatia. The City of Dubrovnik; Croatian Herpetological Society. ISBN978-953-95256-1-1.
^Chelazzi, G.; Naziridis, T.; Benvenuti, S.; Ugolini, A.; Crivelli, A. J. (3 May 2006). "Use of river-wetland habitats in a declining population of the terrapin ( Mauremys rivulata ) along the Strymon River, northern Greece". Journal of Zoology. 271 (2): 154–161. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00193.x. ISSN 0952-8369.
^Gvozdenović, Slađana; Iković, Vuk (March 2016). Distribution and vulnerability of Balkan Terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) in Montenegro. Nature knows no Boundaries: Rufford Small Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ISBN978-953-95256-3-5.
General referencesedit
Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Iverson, John B.; Shaffer, H. Bradley (2010-12-14). "Turtles of the World 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mauremys rivulata.
May 04, 2024
balkan, terrapin, western, caspian, terrapin, mauremys, rivulata, species, terrapin, family, geoemydidae, found, eastern, mediterranean, region, while, technically, omnivorous, terrapins, known, prefer, meat, they, grow, carapace, length, although, hatchlings,. The Balkan terrapin or western Caspian terrapin Mauremys rivulata is a species of terrapin in the family Geoemydidae It is found in the eastern Mediterranean region While technically omnivorous the terrapins are known to prefer meat They can grow to 25 cm in carapace length although hatchlings are usually only 3 to 4 cm in length Balkan terrapin Balkan terrapin in captivity Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Testudines Suborder Cryptodira Superfamily Testudinoidea Family Geoemydidae Genus Mauremys Species M rivulata Binomial name Mauremys rivulata Valenciennes 1833 2 Synonyms 3 List Emys rivulata Valenciennes 1833Emys tristrami Gray 1869Emys caspica var arabica Gray 1870Emys pannonica Gray 1870Emys tristram Gray 1873 ex errore Emys arabica Gray 1873Clemmys caspica orientalis Bedriaga 1881Clemmys caspica var rivulata Boulenger 1889Clemmys caspica var obsoleta Schreiber 1912Clemmys caspica cretica Mertens 1946Mauremys caspica rivulata Mlynarski 1969Mauremys rivulata Bour 1994Mauremys rivulata rivulata Maran 1996Mauremys rivulata tristrami Maran 1996Mauremys caspica cretica Bonin Devaux amp Dupre 1996Emmenia rivulata Vetter 2006Mauremys rivulata cretica Bonin Devaux amp Dupre 2006 Turtles at the Ein Afek Nature Reserve Contents 1 Distribution 2 Physical description 3 Habitat and ecology 4 Diet 5 Interactions with humans 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 General references 7 External linksDistribution editIt is found in the Balkan Peninsula Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia North Macedonia Montenegro Serbia Greece a number of Mediterranean islands including Crete Lesvos and Cyprus and in the Middle East Israel Jordan Lebanon Syria Turkey 4 On some Greek and Turkish islands where the terrapins are found they may be threatened with extirpation 5 Physical description edit nbsp Balkan terrapin emerging from a river Mauremys rivulata are fairly large with carapace lengths up to 25 cm 9 8 in hatchling turtles of this species are usually between 3 and 4 centimetres 1 2 and 1 6 in in length 5 The average strait carapace length is roughly 15 cm 5 9 in females are slightly larger 6 7 The terrapins carapaces are black to olive green in colour and the plastron the shell on the belly black although the latter frequently fades as the turtles age The species also has horizontal yellowish lines running along the neck and limbs 7 Habitat and ecology editThe species is mostly lowland although the terrapins have been recorded as far up as 900 metres 3 000 ft above sea level They are found in wetland habitats including swamps rivers and ponds although they lay their eggs in grassland regions Mauremys rivulata are preyed on by large birds and predacious mammals such as mongoose who also feed on the terrapins eggs although smaller carnivores may prey on younger turtles with softer shells 7 Diet editMauremys rivulata is an omnivorous species eating both plants and animals although a preference for meat is documented Young terrapins will eat small invertebrates as well as small amphibian larvae or carcasses adult terrapins are known to also eat algae and aquatic plants 7 Interactions with humans editHuman behaviour affecting the species habitat has caused population decline 8 The largest effects come from urbanisation water engineering projects and industrial waste from construction 9 In the northern portion of its range the species may hibernate during the winter 5 Although the terrapins may accept bread offered by humans they do not have the enzymes needed to digest it and such offerings are thus bad for their health 7 References editCitations edit van Dijk P P Lymberakis P Ahmed Mohammed Mousa Disi Ajtic R Tok V Ugurtas I Sevinc M Haxhiu I 2004 Mauremys rivulata IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004 IUCN e T158470A5200041 Rhodin et al 2010 p 000 112 Fritz Uwe Havas Peter 2007 Checklist of Chelonians of the World Vertebrate Zoology 57 2 At the request of the CITES Nomenclature Committee and the German Agency for Nature Conservation and funded by the Museum fur Tierkunde Dresden and the German Federal Ministry of Environment 149 368 doi 10 3897 vz 57 e30895 ISSN 1864 5755 Mauremys rivulata at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Accessed 9 March 2019 a b c Broggi Mario F 2023 08 23 Occurrence and tentative population status of the Balkan Terrapin Mauremys rivulata Valenciennes 1833 on Greek islands Herpetozoa 36 233 247 doi 10 3897 herpetozoa 36 e100533 ISSN 2682 955X Metin K Koca Y Basimoglu Kiral F Kargin Koca S Turkozan O 2008 Blood Cell Morphology and Plasma Biochemistry of Captive Mauremys caspica Gmelin 1774 and Mauremys rivulata Valenciennes 1833 PDF Acta Veterinaria Brno 77 2 163 174 doi 10 2754 avb200877020163 ISSN 0001 7213 S2CID 86550290 a b c d e Stih Ana Koren Toni Zadravec Mladen 2015 The Balkan Terrapin secretive resident of southern Croatia The City of Dubrovnik Croatian Herpetological Society ISBN 978 953 95256 1 1 Chelazzi G Naziridis T Benvenuti S Ugolini A Crivelli A J 3 May 2006 Use of river wetland habitats in a declining population of the terrapin Mauremys rivulata along the Strymon River northern Greece Journal of Zoology 271 2 154 161 doi 10 1111 j 1469 7998 2006 00193 x ISSN 0952 8369 Gvozdenovic Slađana Ikovic Vuk March 2016 Distribution and vulnerability of Balkan Terrapin Mauremys rivulata in Montenegro Nature knows no Boundaries Rufford Small Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina ISBN 978 953 95256 3 5 General references edit Rhodin Anders G J van Dijk Peter Paul Iverson John B Shaffer H Bradley 2010 12 14 Turtles of the World 2010 Update Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy Synonymy Distribution and Conservation Status PDF Archived PDF from the original on 2011 07 17 Retrieved 2010 12 15 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mauremys rivulata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Balkan terrapin amp oldid 1209745765, 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