Four-eyed turtle

Four-eyed turtle
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
Family:	Geoemydidae
Subfamily:	Geoemydinae
Genus:	Sacalia
Species:	S. quadriocellata
Binomial name
Sacalia quadriocellata Siebenrock, 1903
Synonyms[1]
Clemmys bealii var. quadriocellata Siebenrock, 1903 Clemmys quadriocellata — Pope, 1934 Clemmys bealei quadriocellata — Bourret, 1941 Clemmys beali insulensis Adler, 1962 Sacalia quadriocellata — Pritchard, 1979 Sacalia bealei quadriocellata — C. Ernst & R. Barbour, 1989 Sacalia quadriocellata quadriocellata — Artner, 2003 Sacalia quadriocellata insularis [sic] Artner, 2003 (ex errore)

The four-eyed turtle^[2] (Sacalia quadriocellata) is a reptile of the order Testudines. Its name refers to two bright yellow or green spots that occur on the back of its head that can look like another pair of eyes.

Geographic range

This species of turtle occurs in southern China and Hainan, in the Annamite Mountains and northeastern region of Laos, and in the mountains of northern and central Vietnam.^[3]

Hybridization

A male of this species has successfully produced hybrids with the Chinese pond turtle in captivity. Given that the "four-eye" pattern is inherited by these hybrids, it seems well possible that the mysterious Chinese false-eyed turtle (Sacalia pseudocellata) is actually based on a hybrid specimen.^[4]

Description

The four-eyed turtle can grow to a carapace length of 15 cm (5.9 in). Its carapace typically ranges in color from a yellowish-tan to a deep chocolate-brown, and all turtles have a distinct pattern of lines. The turtle's head is often colorful with yellow or green eyes, yellow stripes, and a pink or red throat. Two (sometimes four) eye-like ocelli occur on the back of the head, hence the turtle's name.^[5][6]

Ecology

Four-eyed turtles occur in freshwater streams, brooks, and ponds in woodland, often mountainous habitats. As a result of their rugged surroundings, they have adapted to become adept climbers.

While their dietary preferences have not been studied in detail, it is known that they do eat a wide variety of animals and plants including crickets, worms, snails, trout chow, aquatic plants, greens and lettuces, and certain fruits.^[3]

Status and conservation

This species is included on CITES Appendix III and listed as Endangered by the IUCN.^[3]

A main factor in the decline of the four-eyed turtle is trade and demand for their shells. Therefore, species recovery programs are needed to ensure the future of the species. There is currently an extensive communication between zoo and conservation personnel in Vietnam whose goal is to coordinate recovery programs. The recovery programs will include legal protection for the turtles which will affect turtle trading.

Large quantities of turtle shell are used as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For instance, Taiwan confirmed that 940 tons of hard shelled turtle bone and 200 tons of soft shell turtle bones were imported between 1992 and 1998. The plastron - the belly shell - is used in TCM prescriptions. Some TCM scientists argue that there is no difference between plastron and carapace (back shell) bone. So, if both plastron and carapace bone are utilized, the demand of TCM for freshwater turtles, including four-eyed turtles, could decrease by 50%.^[7][8] Current TCM research also suggests that there is no pharmaceutical difference in the effects of bone from animals produced on farms and animals captured in nature. As a result, farm production of turtle bone for TCM is likely to increase. In addition, TCM research could help find alternatives to turtle bone such as herbs.

Conservation efforts

The Asian Turtle Conservation Network has helped publicize turtle conservation all throughout Asia.^[9] The ATCN has a regularly updated website with up-to-date news that helps spotlight the status of endangered turtles throughout Asia.

Notes

References

• Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). "Sacalia quadriocellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 17 June 2007.  Listed as Endangered (EN A1d+2d).
• Buskirk, James R.; Parham, James F. & Feldman, Chris R. (2005). On the hybridisation between two distantly related Asian turtles (Testudines: Sacalia × Mauremys). Salamandra 41: 21-26. PDF fulltext
• Parham, James Ford; Simison, W. Brian; Kozak, Kenneth H.; Feldman, Chris R. & Shi, Haitao (2001). New Chinese turtles: endangered or invalid? A reassessment of two species using mitochondrial DNA, allozyme electrophoresis and known-locality specimens. Animal Conservation 4 (4): 357–367. HTML abstract Erratum: Animal Conservation 5 (1): 86 HTML abstract
• Siebenrock, Friedrich. (1903). "Schildkröten des östlichen Hinterindien". Sitzungsberichte der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften [Vienna] 112: 333-353. ("Clemmys bealii Gray nov. var. quadriocellata", pp. 336–338).

External links

• Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center
• ARKive
• ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
• The Asian Turtle Crisis

Turtle family Geoemydidae
Genus	Species of the family Geoemydidae
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 Chinese three-striped box turtle Yellow-headed box turtle Yellow-margined 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
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
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
Rhinoclemmys	Black river 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 turtle
Sacalia	Beal's eyed turtle Four-eyed turtle
Siebenrockiella	Black marsh turtle Philippine forest turtle
Vijayachelys	Cane turtle
Phylogenetic arrangement based on turtles of the world 2011 update: annotated checklist.