Looks Like Another Endangered Turtle

Found in a Freshly Tilled Rice Paddy

 

 

Several photographs had to be taken of this amphibian for positive identification.

People say turtles are slow movers but, that's a myth.

 When it stopped moving, I took some quick portrait shots.

When it wanted to go somewhere, it moved along pretty quickly.

This time, I remembered to take a photo of the belly.

Scientists would call this part of a turtle's body, the plastron. Don't ask why.

As soon as I had taken one picture of the underside, I set the critter upright.

Then, I backed off with the camera and, watched the turtle move across the field.

Possibly an Asian Yellow Pond Turtle

 

 

 

 

Comparing the photos with images on ARKive helped.

The images and descriptions for Mauremys mutica, are similar to mine.

The Yellow Pond Turtle is an endangered species.

Now we need to take the research a bit further and, see if this turtle is a subspecies.

It may be a Ryukyu Yellow Pond Turtle (Mauremys mutica kami).

Somebody in the scientific community will have to make that determination.

The Asian Yellow Pond Turtle is found throughout Asia and the Ryukyu Archipelago.

Subspecies M. m. kami turtles exist, only on the Ryukyu Islands.

Turtle Scientists, Your comments are welcomed!

The Reptile Database

Unidentified Baby Turtle Gets Put Back in the Mud

The Little Amphibian Could Have Been Crushed

 

 

It was out on a newly paved stretch of road down by the rice paddies.

This morning, I was in the fields before any farmers showed up, with the camera.

Initially, it just looked like a clump of mud that had flown off a tractor tire.

And, I walked on past it.

When I stopped to have a can of iced coffee, the dirt ball was watching me.

After a few snaps of the shutter, I decided we should get off the road.

Down a slippery bank of clay, into the rice paddy we went.

Trying to get closer to the turtle's eye level, I wound up sitting in the mud.

The little creature must have been camera shy and, decided it was time to go.

A few seconds of crawling in the dirt and, it disappeared into the freshly planted rice field.

Now that I'm back in the office, I realize what I should have done.

It's easier to identify a turtle if, you look at it from all angles.

Next time, I find a turtle I'll remember to turn the thing upside down.

That way, I can take a picture of its belly.
 

And, it won't be able to escape so quickly !

Update: Turtle Identified

 

 

Alert Reader and Friend of Nature, Shawn Miller provided this information:

Black-breasted Leaf Turtle

Geoemyda japonica is an Endangered Species.

Ryukyuyamagame (リュウキュウヤマガメ) is the Japanese title for this animal.

References:

Okinawa Kearu Net

ICUN Red List of Threatened Species

The Turtle Room