The Assam leaf turtle (''Cyclemys gemeli)'' is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae. The species is native to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''gemeli'', is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Richard Gemel (born 1948). Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Cyclemys gemeli'', p. 99).

Description

The

carapace A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) 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 tor ...

of ''C. gemeli'' lacks patterns in adults. It is elongated and relatively flat, with nearly parallel sides. The plastron is unpatterned and dark brown. The head is brown, and the throat and neck are uniformly dark. The bridge is also dark brown. (''Cyclemys gemeli'', new species).

Geographic range

The Assam leaf turtle can be found in northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Its geographic range may extend into

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of ''C. gemeli'' are freshwater

wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

and forest.

Reproduction

''C. gemeli'' reaches sexual maturity at around five years of age. Like all turtles, it is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

References