Mary River Turtle
Encyclopedia
The Mary River turtle, Elusor macrurus, is an endangered short-necked turtle
that inhabits the Mary River
in South-East Queensland
, Australia
. In the 1960s and 1970s, they were popular as pets in Australia, with about 15,000 sent to shops every year during a ten-year period. They were originally known as the "Penny Turtle" or "Pet Shop Turtle". Hatchlings have a straight carapace length of 2–3.5 cm.
Elusor is a monotypic
genus representing a very old lineage of turtles that has all but disappeared from the evolutionary history of Australia. It is one of Australia’s largest species of turtles. Specimens in excess of 50 cm carapace
length have been recorded. Adult Mary River turtles have an elongated, streamlined carapace that can be plain in colour or beautifully patterned. Overall colour can vary from rusty red to brown and almost black. The plastron varies from cream to pale pink. The skin colouration is similar to that of the shell and often has salmon pink present on the tail and limbs. The iris can be pale blue. Mary River turtles use bimodal respiration, and are therefore capable of absorbing oxygen via the cloaca
whilst underwater. However, they do regularly come to the surface to breathe air in the usual way.
A unique feature of male Mary River turtles is the tail, which can measure almost two-thirds of the carapace length. The tail has haemal arches, a feature lost in all other modern turtles. It is probably a derived feature but its function is not understood. Another unique feature is the exceptionally long barbels under the mandible
. Proportionately, the Mary River turtle has the smallest head and largest hind feet of all the species within the catchment, which contributes to its distinction of being the fastest swimmer.
This species is currently listed as endangered under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992
, and under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
. The international conservation body, IUCN, lists it as endangered on the IUCN Red List
. It is Australia's second most endangered freshwater turtle species, after the Western Swamp Tortoise
(Pseudemydura umbrina) of Western Australia. Mary River turtles are also listed in the world's top 25 most endangered turtle species.
The Mary River Turtle was described by Cann & Legler (1994).
Australia's first reptile-focused, non-profit conservation organisation, The Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation and Research Association, were the first to breed this species in captivity for release into the wild in 2007.
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
that inhabits the Mary River
Mary River (Queensland)
The Mary River is a river system in South East Queensland, Australia. The river rises at Booroobin in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, west of Landsborough...
in South-East Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In the 1960s and 1970s, they were popular as pets in Australia, with about 15,000 sent to shops every year during a ten-year period. They were originally known as the "Penny Turtle" or "Pet Shop Turtle". Hatchlings have a straight carapace length of 2–3.5 cm.
Elusor is a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus representing a very old lineage of turtles that has all but disappeared from the evolutionary history of Australia. It is one of Australia’s largest species of turtles. Specimens in excess of 50 cm carapace
Carapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
length have been recorded. Adult Mary River turtles have an elongated, streamlined carapace that can be plain in colour or beautifully patterned. Overall colour can vary from rusty red to brown and almost black. The plastron varies from cream to pale pink. The skin colouration is similar to that of the shell and often has salmon pink present on the tail and limbs. The iris can be pale blue. Mary River turtles use bimodal respiration, and are therefore capable of absorbing oxygen via the cloaca
Cloaca
In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...
whilst underwater. However, they do regularly come to the surface to breathe air in the usual way.
A unique feature of male Mary River turtles is the tail, which can measure almost two-thirds of the carapace length. The tail has haemal arches, a feature lost in all other modern turtles. It is probably a derived feature but its function is not understood. Another unique feature is the exceptionally long barbels under the mandible
Mandible
The mandible pronunciation or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place...
. Proportionately, the Mary River turtle has the smallest head and largest hind feet of all the species within the catchment, which contributes to its distinction of being the fastest swimmer.
This species is currently listed as endangered under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992
Nature Conservation Act 1992
The Nature Conservation Act 1992 is an act of the Parliament of Queensland that provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it provided for biota to be declared presumed extinct, endangered, vulnerable, rare or common...
, and under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places...
. The international conservation body, IUCN, lists it as endangered on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
. It is Australia's second most endangered freshwater turtle species, after the Western Swamp Tortoise
Western Swamp Tortoise
The western swamp tortoise , also known as the western swamp turtle, is a short-necked freshwater tortoise that monotypically represents the sub-family Pseudemydurinae.-Description:...
(Pseudemydura umbrina) of Western Australia. Mary River turtles are also listed in the world's top 25 most endangered turtle species.
The Mary River Turtle was described by Cann & Legler (1994).
Australia's first reptile-focused, non-profit conservation organisation, The Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation and Research Association, were the first to breed this species in captivity for release into the wild in 2007.
