Cane turtle

Cochin forest cane turtle
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Geoemydidae
Subfamily: Geoemydinae
Genus: Vijayachelys
Praschag, Schmidt, Fritzsch, Müller, Gemel and Fritz, 2006
Species:
V. silvatica
Binomial name
Vijayachelys silvatica
(Henderson, 1912)
Synonyms[3]
  • Geoemyda silvatica Henderson, 1912
  • Heosemys silvatica McDowell, 1964
  • Vijayachelys silvatica Praschag, Schmidt, Fritzsch, Müller, Gemel & Fritz, 2006

The Cochin forest cane turtle (Vijayachelys silvatica), also known as Kavalai forest turtle, forest cane turtle or simply cane turtle, is a rare turtle from the Western Ghats of India. Described in 1912, its type locality is given as "Near Kavalai in the Cochin State Forests, inhabiting dense forest, at an elevation of about 1500 feet above sea level".[4] Only two specimens were found at that time, and no scientist saw this turtle for the next 70 years. It was rediscovered in 1982, and since then a number of specimens have been found and some studies have been conducted about its phylogeny and ecology.[5]

  1. ^ Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2016) [errata version of 2000 assessment]. "Vijayachelys silvatica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2000: e.T9038A97378369. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. ^ Fritz Uwe; Peter Havaš (2007). "Checklist of Chelonians of the World". Vertebrate Zoology. 57 (2): 249. doi:10.3897/vz.57.e30895. ISSN 1864-5755.
  4. ^ Henderson (1912)
  5. ^ Praschag et al. (2006)