#big-headed turtle

I actually made a post a while ago about big-headed turtles- you can read it here!

I got to work with these guys once, and they were pretty fun! Very bitey; those beaks can really pack a punch. Also, when they've been in water for a while, they start to grow algae all over their heads and shells. It doesn't hurt them at all, but it does make them look even more prehistoric!

As for the pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys insculpta), I can absolutely share some more facts about them! With those looks, they need all the love they can get.

(Image: A pig-nosed turtle via the Australian Department of Parks & Wildlife)

Its unusual nose has a purpose; it allows the turtle to breathe air while the rest of its body remains submerged and safe from predators. The nose is also quite sensitive, and can detect prey from chemical cues in the murky rivers in which the turtle lives.

Part of the reason for the pig-nosed turtle's apparence comes from its impressive lineage. It is the sole member of its family, Carettochelyidae, and it's believed that this branch evolved some 140 million years ago-- about 70 million years before the dinosaurs went extinct!

The Fly River turtles are among the more social turtle species; wherever they are found, it is usually in large aggregations, particularly in the colder winter months.

Lastly, during their incubation period, embryos will create vibrations to communicate with the other eggs in their clutch! These vibrations allow the embryos to speed up or slow down their development so that, when the time comes, all the members of a clutch will hatch at the same time.

Animals of the Photo Ark - Big-Headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum)

Family: Big-Headed Turtle Family (Platysternidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered

The only member of a unique family of turtles that diverged from other turtles some 75 million years ago, the Big-Headed Turtle gets its name from its extremely large head, which makes it easily identifiable. Its head is so large, in fact, that it is unable to retract it into its shell when threatened, although it is still capable of defending itself via a painful bite delivered with its powerful beaked jaws. Native to China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, it requires a very specific habitat consisting of clear, cascading streams in high-altitude forests in order to thrive, and as such was rarely spotted even before human action resulted in declines in global populations. Despite its aquatic habitat it is noted to be a fairly weak swimmer, but it compensates for this with its ability to cling tightly to submerged rocks and crawl across them to travel throughout its home streams. Big-Headed Turtles feed on aquatic insects, mollusks and freshwater crabs as well as fruit and other forms of plant matter, relying on their large, powerful jaws to break through the hard shells of their prey. Little is known about their life cycle, but it is believed that they breed annually, produce 2-8 eggs per clutch, and can live for around 50 years. Big-Headed Turtles currently face a considerable risk of extinction, with exploitation by humans (both for their meat and shells, and to be captured live and taken into the pet trade) and the destruction of their unusual stream habitats due to urban expansion being the greatest threats to the species. 

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The photo above is from the National Geographic Photo Ark, and was taken by Joel Sartore. To see more of Sartore’s amazing work and support the Photo Ark, follow the link below:

Latin name: Platysternon megacephalum

Size: shell size up to 20 cm (7.87 inches)

Diet: carnivorous (mostly fishes, snails and worms)

Habitat: Cambodia, Laos, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam

Population status: endangered

Turtley facts:

due to it´s headsize, this turtleis unable to pull its head into its shell

when threatened, the big-headed turtle will bite its predator to defend itself

it is also known to climb bushes and trees, but isn´t a good swimmer

its strong tail is very long- almost the same length as its body!

source source 2

Pics:

スマホにTOZGEKIされました

The Large and In-Charge Big-Headed Turtle

Although there are many turtle species endowed with the name “big-headed”, none deserves it moreso than the southeast Asian big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum). It’s Latin name literally means flat-chested and big-headed, which is an apt description for this species. It runs on the larger side for freshwater turtles, growing up to 40cm long, and it’s size is enhanced by its long prehensile tail. The head is also unique in its size, shape, and physiology. In fact, P. megacephalum’s head is so large that it cannot be retracted into its shell. Instead, to protect itself, it has a very thick plate of bone on the top and sides of the head. They are also protected by their colouration, usually brown or olive green, which makes it easy for them to blend into their surroundings. Some individuals even have algae growing on the backs of their shells which allows them to closely resemble rocks.

Big-headed turtles spend most of their time in the water, but they are not strong swimmers. Instead they wait at the bottom of streams or under leaves for prey, such as fish, insects, and mollusks. The latter they are able to eat because of their strong beaks, which they can use to break open tough shells. They are also fantastic climbers, especially over rocks, and use their claws and tail to reach prey other turtles wouldn’t have access to. The big-headed turtle doesn’t have many predators today; its hard head and long claws, along with the ability to spray a foul-smelling musk when threatened, are likely leftover from a predator long-extinct.

Platysternon megacephalum is endemic to southeast Asia, from Thailand and Vietnam up to the southern part of China. They usually stay in more mountainous areas, although they can be found in lower valley forests. The most important requirement of their habitat is a cool, fast-flowing stream; it is there that they find most of their food and use to thermoregulate. Occasionally they will also occupy lakes, so long as the water temperature is cool enough--their preferred range is between 10 and 12° C. They are active mainly at night, and spend their days hiding or basking on rock bars.

Aside from their singular head, the big-headed turtle has a fascinating mating system. Individuals can be territorial and highly aggressive, even to members of the opposite sex. Outside the mating season, which lasts from May to August, big-headed turtles stay away from each other, and will fight with their strong jaws and long claws if encountered. During the mating season, the male will climb on top of the female and use his tail to cling to her. He will also make good use of his claws, which means matings can be violent, bloody, and sometimes seriously injurious to one or both members involved. Afterwards, the female will lay between 1 and 4 eggs in a shallow nest close to a stream. Eggs develop for about 3 months before hatching, and juveniles are totally independent. It is unknown how long individuals can live in the wild, but in captivity they can live up to 20 years old.

Conservation status: P. megacephalum is listed as endangered by the IUCN. It has been heavily hunted both for the pet trade and as a food source. Some captive breeding programs have been initiated, but there have been few successful reintroductions of the species into the wild.

Photos

Adam Francis

HE LOOKS SO SAD