Northern river terrapin

Species of turtle

Northern river terrapin

1878 illustration
Male in breeding colours

Conservation status

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]

CITES Appendix I (CITES)[1]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Reptilia
Order:  | Testudines
Suborder:  | Cryptodira
Superfamily:  | Testudinoidea
Family:  | Geoemydidae
Genus:  | Batagur
Species:  |

B. baska

Binomial name
Batagur baska

(Gray, 1830)[2]

Synonyms[3]

click to expand

* Emys baska Gray, 1830
* Emys batagur Gray, 1831
* Testudo baska Gray, 1831
* Trionyx (Tetraonyx) cuvieri Gray, 1831
* Tetronyx longicollis Lesson, 1834
* Tetronyx baska Duméril & Bibron, 1835
* Tetraonyx lessonii Duméril & Bibron, 1835
* Tetraonyx longicollis Duméril & Bibron, 1835
* Clemmys (Clemmys) batagur Fitzinger, 1835
* Hydraspis (Tetronyx) lessonii Fitzinger, 1835
* Emys tetraonyx Temminck & Schlegel, 1835
* Tetraonyx batagur Gray, 1844
* Batagur (Batagur) baska Gray, 1856
* Clemmys longicollis Strauch, 1862
* Tetraonyx baska Gray, 1869
* Batagur batagur Lindholm, 1929
* Tetraonyx lessoni Bourret, 1941 (ex errore)
* Batagur ranongensis Nutaphand, 1979
* Batagur basca Anan'eva, 1988 (ex errore)
* Batagur batagur batagur Joseph-Ouni, 2004
* Batagur batagur ranongensis Joseph-Ouni, 2004

The northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia. It has been classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and considered extinct in much of its former range; as of 2018, the population in the wild was estimated at 100 mature individuals.[1]

## Description

[edit]

(From top to bottom) hatchling of about a week old, one year old and two years old

The northern river terrapin is one of Asia's largest freshwater and brackwater turtles, reaching a carapace length of up to 60 cm and a maximum weight of 18 kg.[4] Its carapace is moderately depressed, with a vertebral keel in juveniles. The plastron is large, strongly angulate laterally in the young, convex in the adult. The head is rather small, with a pointed and upwards-tending snout. The legs have band-like scales.[5]

The upper surface of the carapace and the soft parts are generally olive-brown, while the plastron is yellowish. Head and neck are brown with reddish bases. Males in breeding coloration have a black head and neck with a crimson or orange dorsal surface and red or orange forelegs. The colour of the pupils also changes during this period, to brown in females and yellow-white in males. During the breeding season, the color of the pupils of a female brown whereas the pupils in the males become yellowish-white.[5][6]

## Distribution and habitat

[edit]

The species is currently found in Bangladesh and India (in the Sunderbans), Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is regionally extinct in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It is strongly aquatic but uses terrestrial nesting sites, frequenting the tidal areas of estuaries, large rivers, and mangrove forests.[1]

## Ecology

[edit]

The northern river terrapin is omnivorous, taking waterside plants and small animals such as clams.[7] The species prefers freshwater habitats and moves to brackish river mouths or estuaries in the breeding season (December–March), returning after laying their eggs. Individuals have been known to undertake long seasonal migrations of 50 to 60 miles to the sand banks where they were hatched. Females usually lay three clutches of 10–34 eggs each.[7][8]

## Conservation

[edit]

The species is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN, principally due to exploitation as a food item (including egg harvesting). Previously, immense numbers were shipped into the fish markets of Calcutta from throughout India; among the Bengali Hindus, the river terrapin was considered the most delectable of all turtles.[9] It is still illegally exported from Indonesia and traded in large numbers in China. Loss of nesting beaches and pollution are also impacting the species.[1]

A hatchery and captive breeding project was established in Bhawal National Park in Bangladesh and another in Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve in India with support from Turtle Survival Alliance[9] and Dr. Peter Praschag, the founder of Turtle Island.

After conducting conservation genetics studies on this critically endangered species,[10] Dr. Peter Praschag in collaboration with the Schönbrunn Zoo in Austria, established the only breeding group of this species outside of its native countries.[11] In May 2010, two northern river terrapins successfully hatched at Turtle Island, making this the first-ever captive breeding of Batagur baska worldwide. Further details on Turtle Island’s efforts to rewild this species can be found on their website.

In 2015, Dr. Peter Praschag and the Schönbrunn Zoo expanded their conservation efforts by establishing an additional breeding center for the northern river terrapin in Karamjal, at the edge of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. This center along with the station at Bhawal National Park has successfully bred and raised juveniles of this species. Prior to the establishment of these centers, in 2005, the global population of B. baska was critically low, with only two known living females at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Tamil Nadu, India. As of 2024, the combined efforts of these centers, have resulted in a thriving population of 565 individuals in these centers and an estimated worldwide population of 800. Additional information on this conservation initiative is available on the Schönbrunn Zoo website.

## Taxonomy

[edit]

Two subspecies are recognized: B. b. baska (Gray, 1831) and B. b. ranongensis (Nutaphand, 1979).[2]

## See also

[edit]

* Southern river terrapin

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Praschag, P.; Singh, S. (2019). "Batagur baska". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T97358453A2788691. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T97358453A2788691.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. ^ a b Rhodin, A. G.J.; van Dijk, P. P.; Inverson, J. B.; Shaffer, H. B.; Roger, B. (2011). "Turtles of the world, 2011 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status" (PDF). Chelonian Research Monographs. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-01-31.
3. ^ Fritz, U.; Havaš, P. (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 212–213. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. S2CID 87809001. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-05-01. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
4. ^ "Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska)". Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA).
5. ^ a b Boulenger, G. A. (1890). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma: Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor & Francis.
6. ^ "An endangered terrapin". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016.
7. ^ a b "Batagur baska field guide". Asian Turtle Network.
8. ^ "Batagur baska". Arkive.org. Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-09-04.
9. ^ a b Moll, E. O.; Kalyar Platt; Platt, S. G.; Praschag, P.; van Dijk, P. P. "Batagur baska : Northern river terrapin" (PDF). Iucn-tftsg.org. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
10. ^ Spitzweg, Cäcilia; Praschag, Peter; Diruzzo, Shannon; Fritz, U. (2018). "Conservation genetics of the northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) breeding project using a microsatellite marker system". Salamandra- German Journal of Herpetology. 54: 63–70.
11. ^ Weissenbacher, A.; Preininger, D.; Ghosh, R.; Morshed, A. G. J.; Praschag, Peter (2015). "Conservation breeding of the Northern river terrapin Batagur baska at the Vienna Zoo, Austria, and in Bangladesh". International Zoo Yearbook. 49 (1): 31–41. doi:10.1111/izy.12070. ISSN 0074-9664.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Das, Indraneil (1989). "Batagur baska in Orissya". Hamadryad: The Journal of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. 14 (1): 2–3.
* Gray, J.E. (1857). "Notice of some Indian tortoises (including the description of a new species presented to the British Museum by Professor Oldham)". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 19 (2): 342–344.

## External links

[edit]

* Centre for Turtle Research and Conservation (archived 19 May 2007)
* Batagur baska at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database

* v
* t
* e

Family Geoemydidae

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Reptilia
* Subclass: Anapsida
* Order: Testudines
* Suborder: Cryptodira
* Superfamily: Testudinoidea
* Family: Geoemydidae

Genera|

Species of the family Geoemydidae

†Banhxeochelys|

* †Banhxeochelys trani

Batagur|

* Burmese roofed turtle
* Northern river terrapin
* Painted terrapin
* Red-crowned roofed turtle
* Southern river terrapin
* Three-striped roofed turtle

Cuora|

* Amboina box turtle
* Bourret's box turtle
* Indochinese box turtle
* McCord's box turtle
* Keeled box turtle
* Pan's box turtle
* Southern Vietnamese box turtle
* Golden coin turtle
* Vietnamese three-striped box turtle
* Yellow-headed box turtle
* Chinese box turtle
* Yunnan box turtle
* Zhou's box turtle

Cyclemys|

* Asian leaf turtle
* Assam leaf turtle
* Eastern black-bridged leaf turtle
* Enigmatic leaf turtle
* Myanmar brown leaf turtle
* Oldham's leaf turtle
* Western black-bridged leaf turtle

†Echmatemys|

* †Echmatemys septaria
* †Echmatemys stevensoniana
* †Echmatemys wyomingensis

Geoclemys|

* Black pond turtle

Geoemyda|

* Black-breasted leaf turtle
* Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle

Hardella|

* Brahminy river turtle

Heosemys|

* Arakan forest turtle
* Giant Asian pond turtle
* Spiny turtle
* Yellow-headed temple turtle

Leucocephalon|

* Sulawesi forest turtle

Malayemys|

* Malayan snail-eating turtle
* Mekong snail-eating turtle
* Khorat snail-eating turtle

Mauremys|

* Balkan pond turtle
* Caspian turtle
* Chinese pond turtle
* Chinese stripe-necked turtle
* Japanese pond turtle
* Red-necked pond turtle
* Spanish pond turtle
* Vietnamese pond turtle
* Yellow pond turtle

Melanochelys|

* Indian black turtle
* Tricarinate hill turtle

Morenia|

* Burmese eyed turtle
* Indian eyed turtle

Notochelys|

* Malayan flat-shelled turtle

Orlitia|

* Malaysian giant turtle

Pangshura|

* Assam roofed turtle
* Brown roofed turtle
* Indian roofed turtle
* Indian tent turtle
* †Pangshura tatrotia

Rhinoclemmys|

* Black wood turtle
* Brown wood turtle
* Colombian wood turtle
* Furrowed wood turtle
* Large-nosed wood turtle
* Maracaibo wood turtle
* Mexican spotted wood turtle
* Painted wood turtle
* Spot-legged wood turtle
* †Rhinoclemmys panamaensis

Sacalia|

* Beale's eyed turtle
* Four-eyed turtle

Siebenrockiella|

* Black marsh turtle
* Philippine forest turtle

Vijayachelys|

* Cane turtle

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. †=Extinct.

* v
* t
* e

Testudines

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Reptilia
* Clade: Diapsida
* Order: Testudines

Suborder|

| Superfamily|

| Family|

Genus

Cryptodira|

| Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)|

| Cheloniidae|

* †Allopleuron
* Caretta
* †Carolinochelys
* Chelonia
* †Eochelone
* Eretmochelys
* †Gigantatypus
* †Glarichelys
* †Itilochelys
* Lepidochelys
* †Mexichelys
* †Miocaretta
* Natator
* †Pacifichelys
* †Syllomus
* †Tasbacka

|

Dermochelyidae|

* †Arabemys
* †Corsochelys
* †Cosmochelys
* Dermochelys
* †Eosphargis
* †Mesodermochelys
* †Psephophorus

* †Euclastes
* †Peritresius
* †Procolpochelys
* †Protosphargis
* †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea|

| Dermatemydidae|

* Dermatemys

|

Kinosternidae|

* Claudius
* †Hoplochelys
* Kinosternon
* Staurotypus
* Sternotherus

Testudinoidea|

| Emydidae|

* †Acherontemys
* Chrysemys
* Clemmys
* Deirochelys
* Emys
* Actinemys
* Emydoidea
* Glyptemys
* Graptemys
* Malaclemys
* Pseudemys
* Terrapene
* Trachemys
* †Wilburemys

|

Geoemydidae|

* Batagur
* †Banhxeochelys
* Cuora
* Cyclemys
* Geoclemys
* Geoemyda
* Hardella
* Heosemys
* Leucocephalon
* Malayemys
* Mauremys
* Melanochelys
* Morenia
* Notochelys
* Orlitia
* Pangshura
* Rhinoclemmys
* Sacalia
* Siebenrockiella
* Vijayachelys

Platysternidae|

* Platysternon

Testudinidae|

* Aldabrachelys
* Astrochelys
* Centrochelys
* Chelonoidis
* Chersina
* Cylindraspis
* †Cymatholcus
* †Floridemys
* Geochelone
* Gopherus
* †Hadrianus
* †Hesperotestudo
* Homopus
* Indotestudo
* Kinixys
* Malacochersus
* Manouria
* †Megalochelys
* †Oligopherus
* Psammobates
* Pyxis
* †Solitudo
* Stigmochelys
* †Stylemys
* Testudo

Trionychia|

| Carettochelyidae|

* †Allaeochelys
* †Anosteira
* Carettochelys

|

Trionychidae|

* Amyda
* Apalone
* †Axestemys
* Chitra
* Cyclanorbis
* Cycloderma
* †Drazinderetes
* Dogania
* †Gilmoremys
* †Hutchemys
* †Khunnuchelys
* Lissemys
* Nilssonia
* Palea
* †Palaeoamyda
* Pelochelys
* Pelodiscus
* Rafetus
* Trionyx

* †Basilochelys
* †Sinaspideretes

| Chelydridae|

* Chelydra
* †Chelydrops
* †Chelydropsis
* †Emarginachelys
* †Macrocephalochelys
* Macrochelys
* †Planiplastron
* †Protochelydra

|

†Nanhsiungchelyidae|

* †Anomalochelys
* †Basilemys
* †Jiangxichelys

†Protostegidae|

* †Alienochelys
* †Archelon
* †Atlantochelys
* †Bouliachelys
* †Calcarichelys
* †Cratochelone
* †Desmatochelys
* †Iserosaurus
* †Notochelone
* †Ocepechelon
* †Pneumatoarthrus
* †Protostega
* †Rhinochelys
* †Santanachelys
* †Terlinguachelys

* †Adocus
* †Argillochelys
* †Bashuchelys
* †Ctenochelys
* †Prionochelys
* †Toxochelys

Pleurodira|

|  |

| †Araripemydidae|

* †Araripemys

|

†Bothremydidae|

* †Araiochelys
* †Arenila
* †Azabbaremys
* †Bothremys
* †Cearachelys
* †Chedighaii
* †Chupacabrachelys
* †Eotaphrosphys
* †Foxemys
* †Galianemys
* †Ilatardia
* †Inaechelys
* †Itapecuruemys
* †Jainemys
* †Kinkonychelys
* †Kurmademys
* †Labrostochelys
* †Nigeremys
* †Phosphatochelys
* †Polysternon
* †Puentemys
* †Rosasia
* †Rhothonemys
* †Sankuchemys
* †Taphrosphys
* †Ummulisani
* †Zolhafah

Chelidae|

* Acanthochelys
* Chelodina
* Chelus
* Elseya
* Elusor
* Emydura
* Hydromedusa
* †Lomalatachelys
* Mesoclemmys
* Myuchelys
* Phrynops
* Platemys
* †Prochelidella
* Pseudemydura
* Rheodytes
* Rhinemys
* †Yaminuechelys

Pelomedusidae|

* Pelomedusa
* Pelusios

Podocnemididae|

* †Albertwoodemys
* †Bauruemys
* †Brontochelys
* †Caninemys
* †Carbonemys
* †Cerrejonemys
* †Cordichelys
* Erymnochelys
* †Lapparentemys
* †Latentemys
* Peltocephalus
* Podocnemis
* †Stupendemys

†Sahonachelyidae|

* †Sahonachelys
* †Sokatra

|  |

|  |

* †Caribemys
* †Caririemys
* †Tacuarembemys

|

* Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

* See also List of Testudines families

Taxon identifiers

Batagur baska|

* Wikidata: Q810705
* Wikispecies: Batagur baska
* ADW: Batagur_baska
* BOLD: 190962
* CoL: KVXD
* ECOS: 4622
* EoL: 795612
* GBIF: 2443698
* iNaturalist: 73698
* IRMNG: 10370536
* ITIS: 202097
* IUCN: 2614
* NCBI: 193151
* Observation.org: 97428
* Open Tree of Life: 361285
* Paleobiology Database: 373870
* RD: baska
* Species+: 10403
* WoRMS: 1457593

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