The spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa) is a South-East Asian turtle species. It inhabits lowland and hill rainforest, usually dwelling in the vicinity of small streams in hill areas up to 1,000 m above sea level. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
Description
thumb|left|Carapace
The spiny turtle is a medium-sized tortoise with a brown shell and red-spotted head. Also known as the "cog-wheel turtle," it derives its name from its spiky-edged carapace, marginal scutes, and spiny keel. As juvenile spiny turtles become adults, the black striped and yellow underside of their shell fades in color. These changes of the spine and carapace serve as evolutionary adaptations attempting to prevent predators from preying on juvenile turtles. The classification of Heosemys incorporates four species: Heosemys annandalii, Heosemys depressa, Heosemys grandis, and Heosemys spinosa; however, relationships between the four are undetermined. Variation among the Heosemys spinosa is also uncertain, but it has been suggested that there are two types: a "mainland form" dwelling in Malaysia, Thailand, and southern Myanmar, and an "insular form" found in Indonesia and the Philippines, possibly in Brunei and Singapore as well. Similarly, captive juvenile spiny turtles consume fruit salads multiple times a week, particularly those containing tomatoes. Arthropods and hair were also found in the samples, suggesting consumption of mammals and other animals. The egg is usually covered with a partial layer of substrate, and researchers have found eggs laid in a so-called "protected spot" underneath cork bark or thick foliage. It lives along brooks in forested areas, usually in mountains with altitudes of 170 m to 1,000 m above sea level.
Conservation
Labeled as "vulnerable" by the IUCN in 1996, the spiny turtle became endangered in 2000 when the supply of the species declined by a half in the Chinese food market.
References
;Bibliography
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa)