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The Euphrates softshell turtle (''Rafetus euphraticus''), also known as the Mesopotamian softshell turtle, is a species of
The Euphrates softshell turtle became known to western science when the French naturalist
atlas
. As Olivier wrote in French, his ''ch'' more or less corresponds to the English ''sh'', or to ''š'' used in the standard transcription of the Arabic. Olivier's book did not explain what the name meant in
ontogeny
Ontogeny (also ontogenesis) is the origination and development of an organism (both physical and psychological, e.g., moral development), usually from the time of fertilization of the ovum, egg to adult. The term can also be used to refer to t ...
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File:Juvenile Rafetus euphraticus (cropped).png, Young juvenile
File:Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien (1913) (18197407012).jpg, Older juvenile
File:Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien (1913) (18197410952).jpg, Adult
The Euphrates softshell turtle is an
The Euphrates softshell turtle (''Rafetus euphraticus''), also known as the Mesopotamian softshell turtle, is a species of softshell turtle
Trionychidae is a family of turtles, commonly known as softshell turtles or simply softshells. The family was described by Leopold Fitzinger in 1826. Softshells include some of the world's largest freshwater turtles, though many can adapt to li ...
in the family Trionychidae. It is found throughout much of the Euphrates–Tigris river basin in Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and Khūzestān Province of Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
. Historically it has also been reported from Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, but this likely involves confusion with the very similar '' Trionyx triunguis'' (the two typically require in-hand examination to be separated).
The Euphrates softshell turtle is an endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
that primarily is threatened by habitat loss and alteration, especially the building of dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
s, but to lesser extent also pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
and killing by fishermen.
History
The Euphrates softshell turtle became known to western science when the French naturalist Guillaume-Antoine Olivier
Guillaume-Antoine Olivier (; 19 January 1756, Les Arcs near Toulon – 1 October 1814, Lyon) was a French entomologist and naturalist.
Life
Olivier studied medicine in Montpellier, where he became good friends with Pierre Marie Auguste Br ...
shot a specimen while crossing the Euphrates
The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...
near Anah
Anah or Ana (, ), formerly also known as Anna, is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates approximately midway between the Gulf of Alexandretta and the Persian Gulf. Anah lies from west to east on the right bank along a bend of the river just before it tu ...
in June 1797. The local residents told him that the meat of this animal was not good to eat, but its fat was considered an excellent medication for a variety of skin diseases. Olivier named the species ''Testudo rafcht'', because, as he said "the Arabs called it ''rafcht''".. See also plate 41 in the accompanyinatlas
. As Olivier wrote in French, his ''ch'' more or less corresponds to the English ''sh'', or to ''š'' used in the standard transcription of the Arabic. Olivier's book did not explain what the name meant in
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
; however a number of modern Arabic web pages say that the turtle is known locally as ''al-rafš'' (الرفش), which is translated in standard dictionaries as "the spade" or "the shovel", and perhaps refers to the shape of the creature's carapace
A carapace is a 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 tortoises, the unde ...
. Olivier passed the information about the creature to François Marie Daudin
François Marie Daudin (; 29 August 1776 in Paris – 30 November 1803 in Paris) was a French zoologist.
Biography
With legs paralyzed by childhood disease, he studied physics and natural history but ended up being devoted to the latter.
Daudin w ...
, who described it in his ''Histoire des reptiles'' (1801).
Later naturalists apparently often misread Olivier's ''rafcht'' as ''rafeht''. The name ''Rafetus euphraticus'', and the genus '' Rafetus'' itself, were proposed by John Edward Gray
John Edward Gray (12 February 1800 – 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of zoologist George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray (1766–1828). The same is used for a z ...
in 1864, who mentions in his work that the species had been variously known as ''Trionyx euphraticus'', ''Testudo euphraticus'', ''Trionyx rafeht'', ''Tyrse rafeht'', or ''Testudo rafeht''.The ''Rafetus'' section (pp. 81-82) in:
Appearance
This freshwater turtle can weigh up to , and it has a smooth leathery shell that can reach up to in length. The sexes are apparently alike in size and general appearance. The upperparts are typically dullolive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
in colour, sometimes with an indistinct spotted pattern, especially on the head. There are some minor variations in the colour pattern, and rarely individuals may be dark brown or even black above.Habitat
The Euphrates softshell turtle has been found in a wide range of freshwater habitats such as rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and marshlands. It prefers areas with shallow and calm water, sandy banks and many fish (especiallycyprinid
Cyprinidae is a Family (biology), family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barb (fish), barbs and barbel (fish), barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the ...
s). Although it mainly resides in shallow calm water, this is often adjacent to deep fast-flowing water. In the fast-flowing Euphrates it generally avoids the main stem, instead occurring in side-branches or backwaters. In parts of the Tigris River with a slower flow, it occurs even in the main stem. They bask on or at the banks of rivers, with some remaining in shallow water to avoid being on land. They sometimes bury themselves into the bottom.
Behaviour
The Euphrates softshell turtle is mainly active during the day, but some night-activity also occurs. In parts of its range it is infrequently seen during the winter, likely due to the lower temperature.Feeding
Little is known about its feeding preference, but the species has generally been considered acarnivore
A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant
Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they ar ...
. It is sometimes seen feeding on carcasses, is easily attracted by lowering a nylon bag filled with lamb blood into the water and fishermen often complain about it taking fish from their nets. However, it has also been caught on lines baited with watermelon
The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...
, an individual defecated a partially digested tomato
The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...
and local farmers claim their crops sometimes are eaten by the species. A fecal analysis of 30 individuals mostly revealed remains of crabs and plants, but also insects, birds, fish, river-bed material and debris, leading to the conclusion that the Euphrates softshell turtle is an opportunistic omnivore.
Breeding
Nesting in this species is seasonal, but exact timing depends on the region. The nest is dug by the female in a bank of a river and it can be up to deep. The site can be bare sand or a sand-soil mix with vegetation. In one case a nest was placed about from the water's edge, in a sand bank with an incline of almost 15°. Each nest can contain up to 32 eggs. The eggs are white, and have a diameter of . When hatching the young have a carapace length of . In some regions a female may nest twice in a season. Adults and sub-adults often have claw or bite marks, indicating frequent aggression between individuals.Endangered status
The Euphrates softshell turtle is an endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
. The primary threats are habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...
and alterations, but to lesser extent also pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
and killing by fishermen. A major threat is dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
s, which alter levels of sediment and water temperature, and may flood areas. For example, the population in the Halfeti region disappeared entirely following the construction of the Atatürk Dam, possibly due to colder water, and the Ilısu Dam flooded some known nesting sites of the species. Numerous other dams are planned in the Euphrates-Tigris drainage. Nevertheless, there are indications that they are able to use nesting sites near human and are not particularly vulnerable to general disturbance. When basking on land they are very shy, retreating to water at the slightest hint of danger. It has been reported from man-made habitats such as reservoirs and artificial canals near cities. Despite its endangered status there are no specific conservation projects aimed at this species in most of its range, except one underway in Iran's Khuzestan Province
Khuzestan province () is one of the 31 Provinces of Iran. Located in the southwest of the country, the province borders Iraq and the Persian Gulf, covering an area of . Its capital is the city of Ahvaz. Since 2014, it has been part of Iran's R ...
.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1989799 Rafetus Reptiles described in 1801 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot