Black Spotted turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii)
Taxonomy
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum
: Chordata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily : Testudinoidea
Family : Geoemydidae
Subfamily :
Geoemydinae
Genus :
Geoclemys
Species : G. hamiltonii
(Gray, 1830)
Common Names
Spotted Pond Turtle, Black Pond Turtle, Hamilton’s Terrapin.
IWPA : Schedule I
Cites : Appendix I
Conservation Status
Geographical Distribution
The black spotted turtle is found in large, deep rivers across Northern and Northeastern Indian subcontinent, primarily in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It inhabits the Indus and Ganga River drainages, extending from Pakistan to Bangladesh, and is also present in northeast India.
General Information
Spotted turtle mating begins in March and continues through May. Nesting occurs from late May to July, with females laying two elliptical white eggs with flexible shells in a flask-shaped nest in well-drained soil. Typically, only one or two clutches are laid each year. The sex of the offspring is determined by incubation temperatures, with higher temperature producing mostly females. Hatchlings generally emerge from the nest in autumn, although they may occasionally overwinter within the nest. Spotted turtles inhabit small, shallow bodies of water such as bogs, marshes, fens, coastal wetlands and small ponds. These turtles are primarily carnivorous, feeding on snails and insect larvae, although vegetative material has occasionally been found in their digestive tracts.
Threats
- Habitat degradation due to overgrazing and pollution.
- Illegal collection for the pet industry.
- Mortality due to predation.
- Displacement of native vegetation by invasive species.
Aquatic Species / Turtles / Black Spotted turtle