Morenia petersi Anderson 1879 – Indian Eyed Turtle

Abstract

The Indian eyed turtle, Morenia petersi (Family Geoemydidae), is a small freshwater turtle (carapace length to 222 mm) with a fairly restricted distribution in northern, eastern, and northeastern India, southern Nepal, and Bangladesh. The species may be locally common in some areas, especially in Bangladesh. It is exclusively herbivorous in the wild, with jaw surfaces highly specialized for folivory. It nests in winter, laying a single clutch of 6[long dash]10 elongate, slightly tapered eggs, measuring about 50 x 20 mm. The species appears to be threatened by heavy exploitation in Bangladesh. Distribution. [long dash] Bangladesh, India, Nepal. Distributed across northern India, southern Nepal, and Bangladesh. Synonymy. [long dash] Batagur (Morenia) petersi Anderson 1879, Morenia petersi. Subspecies. [long dash] None recognized. Status. [long dash] IUCN 2010 Red List: Vulnerable (A1cd+2d) (assessed 2000); CITES: Not Listed.