Mata mata

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Matamata (disambiguation).

Mata mata
Temporal range: Pliocene–Recent
In Shanghai Aquarium, China

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Chelidae
Genus: Chelus
Species:
C. fimbriata
Binomial name
Chelus fimbriata
(
Schneider, 1783)[3]
Synonyms[1][6]
Species synonymy
  • Testudo terrestris Fermin, 1765 Nomen rejectum[4]
  • Testudo fimbriata Schneider, 1783[3]
  • Testudo fimbria Gmelin, 1789 nomen novum
  • Testudo matamata Bruguière, 1792 nomen novum
  • Testudo bispinosa Daudin, 1801 nomen novum
  • Emydes matamata Brongniart, 1805
  • Chelus fimbriata (Schneider, 1783) recombination[5]
  • Testudo rapara Gray, 1831 nomen novum
  • Testudo raparara Gray, 1844 nomen novum
  • Testudo raxarara Gray, 1856 nomen novum
  • Chelys boulengerii Baur, 1890 nomen novum

The mata mata, mata-mata, or matamata (Chelus fimbriata)

extant species in the genus Chelus.[1][8]

Taxonomy

The mata mata first became known to western scientists when it was described by French

Johann Gottlob Schneider. In 1805, it was moved to its own genus as Chelys fimbriata by André Marie Constant Duméril.[1][10] From the mid 1700s to the late 1800s, altogether 15 different scientific names were used for the species.[11] Since the late 1800s, most authorities have used the name Chelys fimbriata. In 1963, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature resolved the issue of Testudo terrestris (Fermín 1765) by declaring it a nomen oblitum (meaning that only Testudo terrestris Forsskål 1775 is valid and a synonym for the Greek tortoise), while also declaring that Chelys fimbriata is a conserved name for the mata mata.[1][10]

In 1995, distinct morphological differences were found between the populations of the Amazon and Orinoco basins.[12] In 2020, this was supported by a genetic analysis, which showed a deep split between two of its populations. The authors proposed that the mostly Orinoco population be assigned to a new species, Chelus orinocensis, with the Amazon population retaining the Chelus fimbriatus. However, Chelus fimbriatus is absent from the upper Rio Negro–Branco system (the northernmost part of the Amazon basin), which instead is inhabited by Chelus orinocensis.[8]

Anatomy and morphology

Top view of the mata mata turtle

The mata mata is a large, sedentary turtle with a large, triangular, flattened head with many

tubercles and flaps of skin, and a "spike" on its long and tubular snout.[9] Three barbels occur on the chin and four additional filamentous barbels at the upper jaw, which is neither hooked nor notched.[13]

The mata mata's brown or black, oblong

plastron is reduced, narrowed, hingeless, shortened towards the front, and deeply notched at the rear with narrow bridges.[13] These may be meant to allow the turtle to resemble a piece of bark, camouflaging it from possible predators.[15] The plastron and bridges are cream to yellow or brown.[13] The head, neck, tail, and limbs are grayish brown on adults.[13] The neck is longer than the vertebra under its carapace and is fringed with small skin flaps along both sides.[13]
Hatchlings show a pink to reddish tinge in the underside edge of their carapaces and plastrons that gradually disappear as they grow.

Each forefoot has five webbed claws. Males have concave plastrons and longer, thicker tails than females.[13]

Habitat

The mata mata inhabits slow moving streams,

Guianas, and northern and central Brazil.[1] The mata mata is strictly an aquatic species but it prefers standing in shallow water where its snout can reach the surface to breathe.[16]

Behavior

Head, in profile

The appearance of the mata mata's shell resembles a piece of bark, and its head resembles fallen leaves.

suction feeding.[17] The mata mata snaps its mouth shut, the water is slowly expelled, and the fish is swallowed whole; the mata mata cannot chew due to the way its mouth is constructed.[17]

Reproduction

Males display for females by extending their limbs, lunging their heads toward the females with mouths agape, and moving the lateral flaps on their heads. Nesting occurs from October through December in the

eggs
are deposited in a clutch.

Diet

The mata mata is carnivorous, feeding almost exclusively upon aquatic

invertebrates (such as worms, mussels, crustaceans and insects)[18][19][20] and fish.[9][17] On rare occasions, it may feed on small birds, amphibians or small mammals that have entered the water.[21][20] When the stomach content of 20 wild mata mata turtles was examined it consisted exclusively of small fish. The turtles predominantly feed at night in muddy water with limited visibility. However the turtle is well adapted to hunting in these conditions. The mata mata has very fine eyesight with eyes that reflect light, similar to other nocturnal reptiles. In addition, the skin flaps on the neck are also extremely sensitive and help the mata mata detect nearby movement.[22]

Mata mata turtles use a specific method of seizing their prey. They will move the prey into shallower areas of water, surround the prey, and wave their front legs to prevent them from escaping. Once surrounded, the mata mata turtles will open their mouths and contract their pharynx, causing a rush of water that pushes the prey into their mouth.[23]

In captivity

Mata mata turtles on exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the United States

Mata mata turtles are readily available in the exotic pet trade and are quite expensive to obtain. Due to their unique appearance, they make interesting display animals. They also grow quite large. However, mata matas are not active hunters, so, like the alligator snapping turtle, they need less space than a large, active species.

As with all aquatic turtles, water quality is one of the keys to keeping this species successfully in captivity. Warm, acidic water is the best type used with a high

tannin content that should be maintained all year round. Moderate to heavy filtration is recommended.[24] Author David Fogel considers his captive mata mata turtles to be quite intelligent. For example, he has observed one turtle positioning itself near the spray bar of the aquarium at feeding time so that floating food is pushed beneath the water's surface where the turtle can catch it more easily.[25]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-5323-5026-9
    .
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  3. ^ a b Schneider, J.G. 1783. Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Schildkröten, nebst einem Systematischen Verseichnisse der einzelnen Arten. Müller, Leipzig. xlviii + 364 p.
  4. ^ ICZN. 1963. Opinion 660. Suppression under the plenary powers of seven specific names of turtles (Reptilia: Testudines). Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 20:187-190.
  5. ^ Duméril, A.M.C. 1806. Zoologie Analytique, ou Méthode Naturelle de Classification des Animaux. Paris: Perronneau, 344 pp.
  6. S2CID 87809001
    .
  7. ^ Giant fossil matamata turtles (matamatas part V) Archived 2011-10-11 at the Wayback Machine, Tetrapod Zoology
  8. ^
    S2CID 215751367
    .
  9. ^ a b c Espenshade III, William H (1990), "Matamata, Chelus fimbriatus", Tortuga Gazette, 26 (5): 3–5
  10. ^ a b Chelus fimbriata, The Reptile Database
  11. ^ Matamata, Chelus fimbriatus, California Turtle & Tortoise Club
  12. ^ Sanchez-Vilaga, Marcelo R.; Prichard, Peter C. H.; Paolillo, Alfredo; Linares, Omar J. (January 1995). "Geographic variation in the matamata turtle, Chelus fimbriatus, with observations on its shell morphology and morphometry" (PDF). Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 1: 292–300.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Bartlett, Dick (2007), "The Matamata", Reptiles Magazine, 15 (12): 18–20
  14. ^ a b (in French) Toutes les tortues du monde by Franck Bonin, Bernard Devaux and Alain Dupré, second edition (1998), editions Delachaux and Niestlé/WWF.
  15. ^ Encyclopedia of Animals: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Harold G. Cogger, Edwin Gould, Joseph Forshaw
  16. ^ Rosenfeld, Arthur (1989), Exotic Pets, New York:
    ISBN 978-0-671-47654-0
  17. ^ a b c d e
    ISBN 978-0-8317-2786-4
  18. ^ "Mata Mata Turtle: Care Guide & Species Profile". 22 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Mata mata turtle, Chelus fimbrata, care sheet". 14 April 2020.
  20. ^
    UWI St. Augustine
    . Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  21. ^ "Matamata - the Animal Facts - Habitat, Appearance, Diet, Behavior".
  22. ^ Fogel, David (2011). Matamatas: The Natural History, Captive Care and Breeding of Chelus fimbriatus. Turtle and tortoise preservation Group Turtles of the world series.
  23. JSTOR 1564454.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
    )
  24. ^ Mata mata Care Sheet
  25. ^ Fogel, David (2011). Matamatas: The Natural History, Captive Care and Breeding of Chelus fimbriatus. Turtle and Tortoise Preservation group's Turtles of the world series.
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