Asian forest tortoise
Asian forest tortoise | |
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Manouria emys from Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Superfamily: | Testudinoidea |
Family: | Testudinidae |
Genus: | Manouria |
Species: | M. emys
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Binomial name | |
Manouria emys | |
Synonyms[2] | |
List
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The Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys), also known
Taxonomy
There are two recognized subspecies: M. e. emys occurring in southern Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo; and M. e. phayrei, occurring from northwestern Thailand to northeastern India. The latter was named after Sir Arthur Purves Phayre (1812–1885), British Army officer in India who became Commissioner of British Burma.[3]
Based on a variety of phylogenetic characteristics, the genus
Description
This section may be too technical for most readers to understand.(April 2019) |
The Asian forest tortoise is the largest tortoise in mainland Asia. The largest adults of the northern subspecies, Manouria emys phayrei, can reach 25 kg (55 lb) in the wild and much more than that in captivity.
The carapace is considerably depressed, its depth not half its length; anterior and posterior margins reverted, more or less strongly serrated; nuchal present; two supracaudal shields; dorsal shields concentrically striated, often concave; vertebrals much broader than long and at least as broad as costals. The plastron is large, gular region somewhat produced and usually notched, hind lobe deeply notched; the pectoral shields may be widely separated from each other, or from a short median suture; axillary shield very small, inguinal large. The head is moderate in size; two large prefrontal shields and a large frontal; beak not hooked; jaws feebly denticulated, the alveolar surface of the upper jaw with a strong median ridge. The forelimbs anteriorly have very large, bony, pointed, imbricate tubercles, forming four or five longitudinal series. The hind limbs have very large bony tubercles on the plantar surface, with others larger, conical, and spur-like on the heel, and a group of still larger conical tubercles on each side on the back of the thighs. Adults are dark brown or blackish. The carapace of juveniles is yellowish brown, with dark-brown markings.[5]
Distribution
The Asian forest tortoise occurs in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.[1]
Reproduction
Manouria emys is the only tortoise which lays its eggs above ground in a nest, which the female constructs of
Preliminary research has been conducted into Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination (TSD) in Manouria Emys Emys, and an estimated pivotal temperature of 29.29°C was determined. Incubation temperatures higher than this produce high rates of female hatchlings, and lower than this produce high rates of males.
A correlation was also seen between temperature and incubation time, with higher temperatures resulting in a shorter incubation time, and lower temperatures resulting in a longer incubation time. Incubation time ranged from 60 to 90 days. [6]
Cited references
- ^ . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- S2CID 87809001.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Manouria emys phayrei, p. 205).
- PMID 16678445.
- ^ Boulenger GA (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Testudo emys, p. 22).
- ^ doi:10.57709/1059206.
Further reading
- .
- Blyth E (1854). "Notices and Descriptions of Various Reptiles, New or Little-known. Part I". J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 22 [1853]: 639–655.
- Schlegel H, Müller S (1844). "Over de Schildpadden van den Indischen Archipel ". In: Temminck CJ (1839–1847). Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen, door de leden der Natuurkundige Commisie in Oost-Indie en andere schrijvers. Leijden folio. Afd. 1 Zoologie in 12 afleveringen, met 45 gekl. pl. - Vitg. door C.J. Temminck, Leiden, Leuchtmans u. Hoeck in comm.: 29–36. (Testudo emys, new species, p. 34 + Plate IV). (in Dutch).
- .