Cyclemys atripons IVERSON & MCCORD, 1997
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Cyclemys atripons?
Cyclemys atripons
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| Higher Taxa | Geoemydidae (Geoemydinae), Testudinoidea, Testudines (turtles) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: (Western) Black-Bridged Leaf Turtle, Striped Leaf Turtle G: Gestreifte Dornrandschildkröte |
| Synonym | Cyclemys atripons IVERSON & MCCORD 1997 Cyclemys atripons — LEHR & HOLLOWAY 2003 Cyclemys atripons — FRITZ et al. 2009 Cyclemys atripons — TTWG 2014 Cyclemys atripons — TTWG 2021 |
| Distribution | SE Thailand and adjacent Cambodia, Vietnam (Annam, Kien Giang) Type locality: Kao Kuap, Trat (SE Thailand) |
| Reproduction | oviparous. |
| Types | Holotype: USNM 81865, dried shell of a female with limbs but no head |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Adult: Shell ovoid to heart-shaped; in aged adults elongated. Femoral mid-seam shorter than or equal to anal mid-seam; anal notch small to wide and acute-angled to obtuse-angled. Plastron mainly or entirely yellow; if a radiat- ing dark plastral pattern is present, it consists of few thin black lines on each scute. A similar radiating pattern may occur on the light brown carapace. Bridge in some aged adults solid black. Top of the head with small dark specks; temporal region and neck with wide yellow to salmon stripes; underside of the neck with wide yellow to salmon stripes or unpatterned light coloured; throat unpatterned light coloured. Morphological distinction from C. pulchristriata is difficult. Hatchling (Fig. 9): Plastron mainly yellow, with few large black spots; ocellate pattern at submarginal seams; light head and neck stripes wide, throat light coloured. Hatchlings of C. atripons and C. pulchristriata are very similar and cannot be reliably distinguished. For maximum size and comparison with diagnostic characters of other species, see Table 3 in Fritz et al. 2008: 10. |
| Comment | Cyclemys atripons and Cyclemys pulchristriata have been described almost simultaneously. FRITZ et al. (2001) provide evidence that they are not conspecific although they are very similar. Cyclemys atripons and C. pulchristriata are morphologically indistinguishable, but are genetically paraphyletic with respect to C. dentata. Morphologically, both species are so similar that reliable species determination is only possible when genetic markers are used (FRITZ et al. 2008). Habitat: freshwater (Rivers, swamps) |
| Etymology | From Latin “atri” = black and “pons” = bridge, in reference to the darkly pigmented bridge. |
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