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Rediscovery of a rare Indian turtle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

B. Groombridge ,
E.O. Moll  and
J. Vijaya
B. Groombridge
Affiliation:
Conservation Monitoring Centre. 219(c) Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK.
E.O. Moll
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology. Eastern Illinois University. Charleston. Illinois 61920, USA.
J. Vijaya
Affiliation:
Madras Crocodile Bank, Vadanemmeli Village. Perur Post Office, Mahabalipuram Road, Chingleput District. Tamil Nadu. India.
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Abstract

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While information was being gathered for Part 1 of the new IUCN Amphibia-Reptiha Red Data Book, dealing with crocodilians and chelonians (Groombridge, 1982), it became evident that one small terrestrial emydid turtle, Heosemys silvatica, was known to science by only two museum specimens, both collected i n 1911 in hill rain forest in south-west India (Henderson, 1912). The apparent rarity of the species, and the extent to which rain forests in south-west India have been destroyed or modified, led to concern for the species's survival and made a survey of the type locality a matter of priority. The species was included, with ‘Indeterminate’ status, in the new Red Data Book. This paper is a pre liminary report of a brief field survey initiated by the first author and carried out between 26 October and 5 November 1982.

Type
Research Article
Information
Oryx , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , July 1983 , pp. 130 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1983

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