Chinese pond turtle

{{Short description|Species of turtle}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Speciesbox | image = Mauremys reevesii.jpg | image_caption = Non-native ''M. reevesii'' in East Timor | image2 = Kusagame01.jpg | image2_caption = Melanistic male | status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=van Dijk, P.P. |year=2011 |errata=2016 |title=''Mauremys reevesii'' |volume=2011 |article-number=e.T170502A97431862 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T170502A6783291.en |language=en |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref> | genus = Mauremys | species = reevesii | authority = (Gray, 1831)<ref name="Rhodin">{{cite journal|url=http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v3_2010.pdf |title=Turtles of the world, 2010 update: Annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution and conservation status |journal=Chelonian Research Monographs |volume=5 |date=2010-12-14 |author1=Rhodin, Anders G.J. |author2=van Dijk, Peter Paul |author3=Iverson, John B. |author4=Shaffer, H. Bradley |page=000.112 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717125632/http://www.iucn-tftsg.org/wp-content/uploads/file/Accounts/crm_5_000_checklist_v3_2010.pdf |archive-date=17 July 2011 |doi=10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v3.2010 |url-status=dead|isbn=978-0965354097 }}</ref> | synonyms = {{collapsible list|title=click to expand |* ''Emys reevesii'' Gray, 1831 |* ''Clemmys (Clemmys) reevesii'' — Fitzinger, 1835 |* ''Emys vulgaris picta'' Schlegel, 1844 |* ''Emys japonica'' A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron ''in'' A.M.C. Duméril & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851 |* ''Geoclemys reevesii'' — Gray, 1856 |* ''Damonia reevesii'' — Gray, 1869 |* ''Damonia unicolor'' Gray, 1873 |* ''Clemmys unicolor'' — Sclater, 1873 |* ''Damonia reevesii'' var. ''unicolor'' — Boulenger, 1889 |* ''Geoclemys [reevesii] reevesii'' — Siebenrock, 1907 |* ''Geoclemys reevesii unicolor'' — Siebenrock, 1907 |* ''Geoclemmys'' [sic] ''reevesi'' — Vogt, 1924 ''(ex errore)'' |* ''Geoclemys grangeri'' Schmidt, 1925 |* ''Geoclemys paracaretta'' Chang, 1929 |* ''Geoclemys reevesi grangeri'' — Mell, 1929 |* ''Chinemys reevesi'' — H.M. Smith, 1931 |* ''Geoclemys papacaretta'' [sic] Fang, 1934 ''(ex errore)'' |* ''Emys reevesi'' — Bourret, 1941 |* ''Chinemys reevesii'' Mertens & Wermuth, 1955 |* ''Chinemys reevesi'' — Mao, 1971 |* ''Chinemys grangeri'' — Pritchard, 1979 |* ''Chinemys pani'' Tao, 1988 |* ''Chinemys reevessi'' [sic] Obst, 1996 ''(ex errore)'' |* ''Chinemys reveesii'' [sic] Fritz, 1996 ''(ex errore)'' |* ''Mauremys reevesii'' — Spinks, Shaffer, Iverson & McCord, 2004}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Fritz 2007">{{Cite journal|journal=Vertebrate Zoology |title=Checklist of Chelonians of the World |year=2007 |author=Fritz, Uwe |author2=Havaš, Peter |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=232–233 |doi=10.3897/vz.57.e30895 |doi-access=free |issn=1864-5755 }}</ref> }}

'''''Mauremys reevesii''''', commonly known as the '''Chinese pond turtle''', the '''Chinese three-keeled pond turtle''', or '''Reeves' turtle''', is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae, a family which was formerly called Bataguridae.<ref name="Rhodin"/> The species is native to East Asia.

Alongside the Chinese softshell turtle, it is one of the two most commonly found species used for divination that have been recovered from Shang dynasty sites.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Keightley |first1=David N. |title=Sources of Shang history : the oracle-bone inscriptions of Bronze Age Chin |date=1978 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley; London |isbn=0-520-05455-5 |page=9 |edition=2}}</ref>

== Description == While the species typically appears to have a brown shell, dark grey skin, with yellow markings on the neck and yellow irises, melanism is well documented in males, where the entirety of the animal including the eyes becomes completely black and the yellow markings are lost. Melanism only occurs in mature males over 7 years old. Old females may sometimes also develop darker shells and fewer markings.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yabe |first=Takashi |date=1994 |title=Population Structure and Male Melanism in the Reeves' Turtle, Chinemys reevesii |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/hsj1972/15/4/15_4_131/_article/-char/ja/ |journal=Japanese Journal of Herpetology |language=en |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=131–137 |doi=10.5358/hsj1972.15.4_131 |issn=0285-3191|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Certain populations of Reeve's turtles may exhibit megacephaly. Megacephalic turtles have much larger and broader heads, and hypertrophied jaws muscles.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Iverson |first1=John B. |last2=Ernst |first2=Carl H. |last3=Gotte |first3=Steve |last4=Lovich |first4=Jeffrey E. |date=1989-05-23 |title=The Validity of Chinemys megalocephala (Testudines: Batagurinae) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1445452 |journal=Copeia |volume=1989 |issue=2 |pages=494 |doi=10.2307/1445452|jstor=1445452 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In at least one other species of turtle, it appears that megacephaly may not be genetically linked, instead developing in individuals as a response to a heavily durophagous diet.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Iverson |first=John B. |date=2020-06-16 |title=Potential Environmental Basis for Megacephaly in the Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) |url=https://bioone.org/journals/chelonian-conservation-and-biology/volume-19/issue-1/CCB-1407.1/Potential-Environmental-Basis-for-Megacephaly-in-the-Eastern-Musk-Turtle/10.2744/CCB-1407.1.full |journal=Chelonian Conservation and Biology |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=137 |doi=10.2744/CCB-1407.1 |issn=1071-8443|url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}</ref><gallery mode="packed" heights="145"> File:Chinemys reevesii 04.jpg File:Chinese Pond Turtle (Mauremys reevesii).jpg|Melanistic male, in Japan (introduced) File:Mauremys reevesii 356786109.jpg|In Japan (introduced) </gallery>

==Geographic range== left|thumb|Adult and young Reeve's turtles|211x211px ''Mauremys reevesii'' is native to China and Korea, and is thought to have been introduced to Japan and Taiwan in historic times; it was previously thought to be native to both these regions. The species is thought to have been introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula near the end of the 18th century. Introduced populations of ''M. reevesii'' may serve as a threat to the native turtles of these regions due to its propensity for hybridization.<ref name="Rhodin" /><ref name="attwg2000">ATTWG (2000)</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Suzuki |first1=Dai |last2=Yabe |first2=Takashi |last3=Hikida |first3=Tsutomu |date=December 2013 |title=Hybridization between Mauremys japonica and Mauremys reevesii Inferred by Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA Analyses |url=https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-herpetology/volume-48/issue-4/11-320/Hybridization-between-Mauremys-japonica-and-Mauremys-reevesii-Inferred-by-Nuclear/10.1670/11-320.full |journal=Journal of Herpetology |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=445–454 |doi=10.1670/11-320 |s2cid=86411251 |issn=0022-1511|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Rhodin |first=Anders G.J. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3854/crm.8.checklist.atlas.v9.2021 |title=Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status (9th Ed.). |date=2021-11-15 |publisher=Chelonian Research Foundation and Turtle Conservancy |isbn=978-0-9910368-3-7 |series=Chelonian Research Monographs|volume=8 |doi=10.3854/crm.8.checklist.atlas.v9.2021 |s2cid=244279960 }}</ref>

=== East Timor === During surveys in East Timor (Timor-Leste), a small but well-established population of ''M. reevesii'' was found living in marshes near the city of Dili. The species is not native to the island and was possibly introduced by locals of Chinese origin.<ref name="EastTimor">{{Cite journal |last1=Kaiser |first1=Hinrich |last2=Taylor |first2=David |last3=Heacox |first3=Scott |last4=Landry |first4=Paul |last5=Sanchez |first5=Caitlin |last6=Varela Ribeiro |first6=Agivedo |last7=Lemos de Araujo |first7=Luis |last8=Kathriner |first8=Andrew |last9=O'Shea |first9=Mark |date=30 June 2013 |title=Conservation education in a post-conflict country five hematological case studies in Timor-Leste |url=http://www.markoshea.info/downloads/kaiser_et_al_2013_conservation_education_in_a_post-conflict_country.pdf |journal=Salamandra |volume=49 |issue=2 |issn=0036-3375 |access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> East Timor is home to the Roti Island snake-necked turtle (''Chelodina mccordi)'', more specifically the subspecies ''C. m. timorensis'' (sometimes considered a species of its own). Although the introduced population of ''M. reevesii'' is not known to present a risk to the native turtles ''per se'', they could indirectly present a threat to the natives if confused. ''M. reevesii'' from the introduced population are sometimes captured to be sold to people of Chinese origin and this may cause problems if extended to the native turtles.<ref name="EastTimor" /> A potential solution is to remove the introduced ''M. reevesii'' (thereby restricting the trade to captive farmed ''M. reevesii'').<ref name="EastTimor" />

==Habitat and behaviour== ''M. reevesii'' is semiaquatic, and basks in the sun on rocks or logs and can often be found leaving water to do so. They can usually be found in marshes, relatively shallow ponds, streams, and canals with muddy or sandy bottoms.

==Conservation status== The Chinese three-keeled pond turtle (''M. reevesii)'' is threatened by competition with released pet red-eared sliders (''Trachemys scripta elegans''), overhunting (its plastron is used in traditional Chinese medicine),<ref>{{aut|da Nóbrega Alves, Rômulo Romeu; da Silva Vieira; Washington Luiz & Gomes Santana, Gindomar}} (2008): Reptiles used in traditional folk medicine: conservation implications. ''Biodiversity and Conservation'' '''17'''(8): 2037–2049. {{doi|10.1007/s10531-007-9305-0}} (HTML abstract, PDF first page)</ref><ref name=dharma>{{cite web|title=Endangered species issues affecting turtles and tortoises used in Chinese medicine|author=Subhuti Dharmananda|url=http://www.itmonline.org/arts/turtles.htm}}</ref> capturing for the pet trade, and wild habitat destruction. The IUCN considers ''M. reevesii'' an endangered species.<ref name = attwg2000 /> This species, fortunately, breeds well in captivity.<ref name=":0"/>

==Etymology== The specific name, ''reevesii'', is in honor of English naturalist John Reeves.<ref>Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. (''Chinemys reevesii'', p. 218).</ref>

==Hybridization== This species, ''Mauremys reevesii'', is notorious for its ability to produce hybrids with other Geoemydidae, even species that are only distantly related. The supposed new species "''Mauremys pritchardi'' " was based on a hybrid of unknown origin between a male of this species and a female yellow pond turtle (''Mauremys mutica''). Furthermore, it has hybridized with the Chinese stripe-necked turtle (''Ocadia sinensis''), female Malayan box turtles (''Cuora amboinensis''), a male four-eyed turtle (''Sacalia quadriocellata''), and the Japanese pond turtle (''Mauremys japonica'') in captivity.<ref>* {{aut|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. [http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/ee/wienslab/kozakpdfs/Parham_Simison_Kozak_2001.pdf PDF fulltext] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724021637/http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/ee/wienslab/kozakpdfs/Parham_Simison_Kozak_2001.pdf |date=24 July 2008 }} '''Erratum:''' ''Animal Conservation'' '''5'''(1): 86 [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=100113&fulltextType=ER&fileId=S1367943002001117 HTML abstract]</ref><ref>{{aut|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. [http://www.salamandra-journal.com/index.php/home/contents/2005-vol-41/150-buskirk-j-r-j-f-parham-c-r-feldman/file PDF fulltext] </ref> This hybridization may pose a threat to the populations of native ''M. mutica'' and Chinese stripe-necked turtle (''M. sinensis'') in Taiwan, and the endemic ''M. japonica'' in Japan.<ref name=":0" />

==Farming== [[File:Mauremys reevesii - Sept 10 2021.webm|thumbtime=1|thumb|Chinese pond turtle in Tokyo.]]High demand for turtle plastrons for Shang divination rites and archaeological findings of large caches of turtle shells has led some scholars to speculate that ''Mauremys reevesii'' may have been farmed for this purpose in antiquity.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Keightley |first1=David N. |title=Sources of Shang history : the oracle-bone inscriptions of Bronze Age Chin |date=1978 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley; London |isbn=0-520-05455-5 |page=12 |edition=2}}</ref>

''M. reevesii'' is one of the species raised on China's modern-day turtle farms. According to a 1998 survey, 548 farms raised this turtle species in four provinces in China. The statistical data from different provinces were in different formats; however, two provinces reported 20,650 turtles living on 26 farms, with 5,000 animals reproduced annually; the other two provinces reported the total weight of their turtles, namely some 260 tons of these animals on 522 farms. Over the five-year period, 1990–1995, 13 traditional Chinese medicine factories consumed 430 tons of ''C. reevesii'' plastrons.<ref> GUO Yinfeng, ZOU Xueying, CHEN Yan, WANG Di & WANG Sung. {{cite web|title=Sustainability of Wildlife Use in Traditional Chinese Medicine|url=http://monkey.ioz.ac.cn/bwg-cciced/english/bwg-cciced/tech-34.htm|year=1998|access-date=27 December 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710055424/http://monkey.ioz.ac.cn/bwg-cciced/english/bwg-cciced/tech-34.htm|archive-date=10 July 2012|url-status=dead}}; also quoted in: {{cite web|title=Endangered species issues affecting turtles and tortoises used in Chinese medicine|author=Subhuti Dharmananda|url=http://www.itmonline.org/arts/turtles.htm}}</ref>

Based on a more recent (2002) survey of 684 Chinese turtle farms (less than half of all 1,499 turtle farms that were registered at the time), researchers found that 2.8 million of turtles of this species (reported there as ''Chinemys reevesii'') lived on these farms, with some 566,000 specimens sold by farmers every year. The total weight of the annual product was 320 tons, with the estimated value of over US$6 million, which makes the market value of a Chinese pond turtle equal to around $12—about twice as much that of the most common farmed species, ''Pelodiscus sinensis''. Taking into account the registered farms that did not respond to the survey, as well as the unregistered producers, the total amounts must be considerably higher.<ref name=scale>{{citation|title=Evidence for the massive scale of turtle farming in China |last1 =Shi | first1 =Haitao |last2=Parham|first2=James F |last3=Fan |first3=Zhiyong |last4=Hong |first4=Meiling |last5=Yin |first5=Feng |date =2008-01-01 | periodical =Oryx | publisher = Cambridge University Press | volume =42 | pages =147–150 | doi =10.1017/S0030605308000562 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Pet trade=== Chinese pond turtles are farmed for the pet trade.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} In captivity, they require similar care to red-eared sliders (''T. s. elegans'').{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Gray JE (1831). ''Synopsis Reptilium; or Short Descriptions of the Species of Reptiles. Part I.—Cataphracta. Tortoises, Crocodiles, and Enaliosaurians.'' London: Treuttel, Wertz, and Co. viii + 85 pp. (''Emys reevesii'', new species, pp. 73–74). (in English and Latin).

==External links== {{Commons category|Mauremys reevesii}} * https://web.archive.org/web/20081024163050/http://chinesische-dreikiel.npage.de/ *https://web.archive.org/web/20110320235607/http://nlbif.eti.uva.nl/bis/turtles.php?menuentry=soorten *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081112035911/http://www.arkive.org/chinese-pond-turtle/chinemys-reevesii/ ARKive] *[http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Mauremys&species=reevesii&search_param=%28%28genus%3D%27Mauremys%27%29%29 ''Chinemys reevesii''], The Reptile *http://www.biosch.hku.hk/ecology/hkreptiles/turtle/Mauremys_reevesii.html

Category:Chinemys Category:Reptiles of China Category:Reptiles of Japan Category:Reptiles of Korea Category:Reptiles of Taiwan Category:Reptiles described in 1831 Category:Taxa named by John Edward Gray Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Endangered Fauna of China

Chinese pond turtle

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